Brave New World
by LoreleiLaCroix
Summary: The Tempest Trilogy, Volume 2. Months after my arrival in Forks and the deaths of James and his fellow hunters, my life has changed immeasurably, but the threat of the Volturi still looms and there are still mysteries to unravel. A brave new world awaits us. Let's just hope we're ready for it.
1. The Parting of the Ways

_O, wonder!  
How many goodly creatures are there here!  
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,  
That has such people in't!_

THE TEMPEST, Act V, Scene 1

All our planning, all our scheming, all our cleverness, it had all come down to this. We had broken ourselves like waves against an uncaring shore. In time, perhaps, we would have worn mountains down to sand, and washed it all away to the sea.

But time was a luxury we did not have.

I knelt, unwillingly, upon the cold stone floor, my arms and head locked in an iron frame large and heavy enough that I tilted painfully forward, my legs locked in place with chains and bolts driven so deep I could not hope to free myself. To my left, Alice was restrained exactly the same way. To my right, Leah, too, was clad in irons, with one crucial difference: blades were set at her throat, her wrists, and around her legs. If she dared to shift, key arteries would be sliced open in the process, so quickly that even she couldn't hope to survive. All of us had been dressed in sackcloth, rough and itchy against the skin, and our legs and feet had been left bare.

But that wasn't the worst of it. As I gazed at the dais before us, at the three thrones that sat there and the three ancient vampires who ruled from those looming seats, I saw the most heartbreaking of all the sights in this room. Callie knelt next to the central throne, her head bowed and her skin mottled with dark bruises, her arms chained behind her back, a gag fitted in her mouth, and a steel collar about her neck. A chain was attached to the collar, and Aro himself held it in his long, white fingers, grinning like a maniac.

Beside me, I could hear Leah growling, almost constantly, a low, ominous rumble that bubbled up from her gut and echoed through her throat. When I glanced over, I could see her eyes flickering periodically, becoming vaguely wolfish before she managed to wrest back her self-control. I tried to give her as much silent encouragement as I could. The last thing I wanted was to watch her die - to watch any of my loved ones die. But then, really, all I was doing was delaying the inevitable.

"You poor, precious angels," Aro cooed, as though we were nothing more than wayward children. I supposed, to him, we were. "You thought you'd had a new idea, didn't you? You really thought you could succeed where _so many_ have failed. Did you truly believe no one else had tried? That you had weapons and tactics we hadn't seen before, in all the _centuries_ of our reign? Scarcely any of you over a century in age, but oh, never mind that. Your cause is _right_. Your cause is _just_. The _gods_ must be on your side. Was that it?"

His blood-red eyes, covered in a milky film but somehow no less ominous, locked with my gaze. "The gods are fickle, my dear. In my time, we understood that _very_ well."

"Someday you _will_ fall," Alice spat beside me.

Aro gave her a look of exaggerated surprise. "Will we? Was that another of your famed visions? A pity you didn't see your _own_ downfall, little one. A genuine shame. I had such high hopes for you, Alice. And you, Bella! Such _potential_. So _badly_ wasted. If only we could delude ourselves into thinking you were nothing but poor little lost lambs, led astray by false shepherds. Alas. We know better. _You_, Isabella Swan, were the ringleader. You must be an example to all. And _these_, your most faithful friends...well. They must be part of that example as well."

My heart pounded in my chest. I looked around frantically. I could see no avenues for escape. But my other loved ones - the other Cullens, the other shifters, the other vampires I counted as friends, Kate, Jessica, Angela, Rosalie, _dad_ \- were nowhere in sight. Maybe there was still hope. Maybe some of them got away. Maybe…

There was a sudden murmur from the faceless masses attending this audience in the throne room of the Volturi. Gray-cloaked guards filed in from doors on each side of the room, each of them bearing a silver platter, and each platter bore the lifeless head of a vampire, or a shifter, or a hybrid. Sam, Paul, Jared, Jacob, Embry, Quil, Seth, Eleazar, Carmen, Tanya, Irina, Carlisle, Esme, Eleanor, Jessamine, Jasper, Edward, _Emmett_, _Kate_, _**Rosalie**__, __**my father**_...they all stared in silent, sightless accusation.

I'd failed them. I'd failed them all.

I sobbed, despite my best effort to show no emotion before these utter _bastards_. Leah snarled, starting to shake as she fought her transformation. Aro's smile widened.

"Bring out the main course," he ordered.

Jane and Alec stepped abruptly into view, dragging Jessica and Angela with them. Both of them looked battered and broken, tears streaming down their faces, and Jessica in particular had been bound tightly and gagged, just like Callie, so she couldn't save herself with any magic spells. Jane shoved Jessica into Caius's lap, and he grinned like a hungry crocodile, but Marcus, as ever, remained distant and impassive. Instead of giving Angela to him, Alec kept hold of her, while his twin sister joined him on Angela's other side. Ang's eyes flicked to Edward, and she let out a loud wail, shaking violently.

Aro dragged Callie up and into his own lap, stroking her hair while she trembled, too weak and too frightened to do anything more. He looked to either side, nodding - and then as Caius, Jane and Alec attacked their own victims, he tore open my best friend's throat and drank greedily.

Some of the vampires watching surged briefly forward in bloodlust and hunger, only to be stopped by the Volturi guard. There was no stopping Leah. An inhuman howl ripped from her throat, her bonds twisting with a loud, metallic screech as she _exploded_ into her wolf form - and the blades did their work, cutting deep, sending her red, red blood spilling all across the stone floor, some of it splattering across my face and arms as she stumbled to the ground. Her howl fell into a low, fading series of whimpers, and her eyes met mine as the light slowly faded and her breathing stopped. Her heart stuttered in her chest and grew still.

A terrible heat began to rise, deep in my belly. I could feel tendrils of starfire snaking their way through me, worming through my limbs, up my throat, into my eyes. Something beneath my skin began to glow with a nuclear fire, writhing and twitching like worms burrowed deep in my flesh.

But no one else seemed to take any notice, even as my eyeballs grew so hot I thought they might explode, even as an unceasing light burned brighter and brighter within me, even as I felt something _wake._ Aro finished his meal and threw Callie's bloodied corpse into the crowd, a melee breaking out as multiple vampires fought over his scraps. He rose from his throne, his pale hands wiping at his bloodied mouth and chin, though this did little more than spread the mess. He licked his long fingers as he strode over to Alice, smiling beatifically down at her. Then, with an exasperated, almost paternal sigh, he grabbed her head and tore it off, kicking her body to the floor in a smooth motion. He nodded to a guard as he walked away, and the cloaked figure stepped forward with a torch, setting Alice's headless body ablaze, even as the life left her swiftly slackening face.

I began to shake, the light within me flaring brighter still, and something _whispering_ in my brain in ancient and unholy tongues. Beneath my breath, I echoed its words, in a dead language that no human had ever known, and yet, the underlying sentiment resonated in my soul. Death. Destruction. An end to this petty creation and all the petty things that dwelt there. Let the stars align, let the barriers shatter, and let it all be washed _clean_ in the pure and infinite _fire_.

"Alas. Poor Alice," Aro pronounced, holding her head aloft. He wasn't even looking at me - he'd turned to address Marcus. "I knew her, Marcus...oh, come _on_, dear boy, the least you could do is crack a _smile_…"

No words fell from my mouth - or, at least, none that these _insects_ would understand. My mouth opened wider than ever before, my skin cracking to grant it more space, and I _screamed_. Light exploded out from me, and the creatures all around me lost their sparkle in an instant, lost their strength, their glory. Blood poured from their noses, their mouths, their ears.

I wasn't done. My head snapped back, my gaze turning skyward, and I was nothing but the scream and the stream of light that burst upward like a solar flare. The castle shattered all around us. The former vampires exploded in bursts of light, like tiny supernovae - _exactly_ like supernovae, because I could see the gorgeous gamma ray bursts they gave off, shimmering in the prettiest shades of lethality. I could see _so much_ now.

I giggled, even as I screamed, even as the tentacles of light ripped their way from my crude mortal shell with sweet, delicious agony, even as I grew, and grew. I howled with laughter as my fire expanded across the place I had once known as Volterra, then the place the pitiful inhabitants of this world had called Italy, then something I thought I might have heard referred to once as Eurasia, and finally all the way around a little cinder called...oh, I no longer remembered. It scarcely mattered. I was already spreading out and out and _out_, across the entire universe, and even _that_ wasn't enough, I was _everything_ and I needed _more_ and oh, just there, someone had thought they could wall me in, foolish little thing…

I shattered the barriers that separated the finite and the infinite, and light met light with the most _terrific_ explosion, and I laughed and I cried and I gibbered and I _screamed_.

* * *

"Bella! Bella, wake up!"

I could just barely hear the voice over the sounds of my own screaming, as I finally tore my way free of sleep, and my eyes snapped open, wide and wild. I finally took in a deep, gulping breath, the cool air soothing my raw throat, and I glanced around frantically, trying to get my bearings. Alice was beside me. _Alice_ was beside me, and she was gorgeous, and she was worried, but most of all she was _alive_.

I grabbed her at once, pulling her close, tears spilling down my cheeks as I buried my nose between her neck and shoulder and breathed her in: the calming lavender and chamomile notes of the body wash we shared, the green apple scent of her shampoo and the tropical flowers of her conditioner, the underlying scent of her sun-warmed light brown skin and her glossy black hair. She wrapped her arms around me in return, stroking my hair and rubbing my back as I trembled and sobbed, slowly returning to our shared reality.

The nightmare didn't fade away. None of my dreams did that anymore. My memory was perfect, and I could still see all the details of that horrible vision with perfect clarity. I had to fight to sort it properly, to shove it in some disused closet in a dark corner of my mind and let it go. I was grateful, once again, for the changes in my mind since I'd become a hybrid. It was far easier for me now to construct a system to store and retrieve memories, to create an architectural construct in my mind and move through it at will. I'd been intrigued by the idea of a memory palace as a human, and I'd tried to build one many times, but never quite managed the trick. Now I could do it...and now, as a survival mechanism, I _had_ to.

I slowly regained my calm as I put the nightmare in its place, shut the door, and let my thoughts move to more abstract ideas. My sobs trailed off into deep, even breathing, and I sniffed a few times as the tears gradually stopped flowing. At long last, I squeezed Alice's waist one last time and pulled back, offering her a weak, dampened smile. "Good morning."

She smiled softly back at me, her eyes searching mine. "Good morning, Bella. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I…" I trailed off, and let myself be distracted for a moment as I drank in the sight of her. God, she was gorgeous in the morning. The sunlight streamed through the window above our bed, striking her skin, leaving her glowing beautifully. Her hair, which she'd grown out past her chin, was tousled from sleep, not to mention everything else we'd gotten up to last night. Her makeup had been somewhat smeared - we really should have washed that stuff off before going to bed - but her long lashes and shadowed eyelids still framed those gorgeous green eyes perfectly. She was still wearing that little black negligee I loved, with the lace, because last night had been special, we'd both been coming down from dad and Kate's wedding, and of course today…

_Today_.

"Oh shit, the family meeting - our _flight!_" I blurted, my eyes growing wide again. "Fuck, fuck, _fuck_, did we oversleep? What time is it? Oh my God, if we've missed our flight mom's going to kill us, _Rose_ is going to kill us-"

"Baby," Alice interjected, giggling a little despite the lingering concern in her eyes. She grabbed both my hands and leaned in, kissing me softly. "I love you. We're fine. You woke us up an hour before our alarm."

I kissed her back, my nerves settling, and then glanced at the clock before giving her a sheepish look. "Oh. Okay. So...shit. Alice, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You couldn't help it," she replied, reaching up to trace my jawline with her nimble little fingers. I leaned into her touch, letting my eyelids flutter briefly shut. "Do you want to try and get that last hour of sleep?"

I sighed, opening my eyes again and biting my lip. "I honestly don't think I could go back to sleep right now. But you should doze if you need it."

"No, I'm fine." She shook her head, then looked up at me through her lashes, hesitating briefly. "It was that nightmare with the Volturi again, wasn't it?"

I looked down, swallowing hard and nodding. "Yeah."

"God, baby. I wish I knew how to make those dreams stop." She drew in closer to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her head against my shoulder, and I sighed again, drawing her back down to the bed so we could properly snuggle.

"I miss the seaside cottage. Remember those dreams? I kind of liked those dreams."

Alice shifted slightly so her head was resting against my chest, and let out a low, thoughtful hum. "Seeing as those dreams were a harbinger of death, I'm actually fairly glad they're gone."

"They weren't a harbinger of _death_. Neither one of us _died_," I protested.

"We could have. And which one of us was Little Miss Exposition when the moment of truth hit?" Alice asked, looking up at me and raising one perfect black eyebrow.

I giggled, tugging her close and kissing that eyebrow. "You were."

"Which means which one of us is a certified expert in the nature of the seaside cottage dream?"

"You are," I said obediently, rolling my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. It was a harbinger of death," Alice said, nodding decisively. "The expert has spoken."

"Mmm, yes, ma'am," I murmured, kissing her once again. She writhed pleasantly against me, and we went off-track into a little light petting before I finally broke contact, letting out a long breath. "Sorry. I mean, I want to, I just…"

She met my eyes, reaching down to squeeze my hand. "The dream's still bothering you."

"Well...yeah. What if it's another omen, Alice? I know you're the one with the visions, but between, well, the seaside cottage dreams _actually_ meaning something, and what Eleazar said…"

"Oh, I think these dreams have everything to do with what Eleazar said, Bells," Alice replied, her lips pressing together in a firm line. "It's been three months. You haven't even come close to revealing yourself as some kind of - eldritch abomination, and I still haven't had any visions indicating that you _will._ Maybe it's time to consider the possibility that he was wrong."

I sighed again, shaking my head. "When are our lives ever that easy? Besides, he saw _something_, and he's always been reliable before, right? We can't just discount that."

"We're facing enough trouble down the road with the Volturi. We don't need to borrow more. And I'm not saying he didn't see something, just...there are precisely two people on this planet that we know of who carry memories of another universe. Who lived through some kind of apocalypse and turned up here. Maybe if he looked at Callie, he'd see the exact same thing. Maybe it's just a side effect of whatever you two went through."

"Maybe," I admitted softly, biting my lip. "That doesn't seem very likely. Anyway, you shouldn't blame Eleazar. He was frightened, and he was just telling us what he'd seen."

Alice scowled, looking away. "Maybe," she echoed. "But when it's left you with those awful nightmares, when it's caused you to second guess yourself and your abilities over and over again…"

"Hey, it wasn't that long ago that you were all but begging me to be more cautious," I reminded her.

She looked back up at me, arching an eyebrow. "I do _not_ beg. And you were human then, and - I appreciate it when you check in with me about stuff you haven't done before, don't get me wrong, but you're still jumping at shadows and looking to me _every_ time you use your powers, or go off to meditate with Callie and Jessica, and it's just...it's not like you. Eleazar caused that. Even if he didn't mean to. It's hard not to resent that."

I pulled her close, kissing her forehead lightly. "I'm sorry. I...I want to find my way back. I'm just not sure how. I'd probably be having nightmares about the Volturi no matter what, though. If it helps."

Alice sighed, her fingers playing across my stomach. "I'm still not sold on this sleep thing in a lot of ways. We're out for hours, most of our dreams are weird or forgettable at best, and don't get me started on the nightmares…"

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining about that dream the other night," I told her, with a slight smirk.

She grinned back at me. "You mean the one you immediately wanted me to reenact for you?"

"Only because it sounded like you were having an amazing time."

"Oh, I was. And we did," Alice agreed, her fingers running down to my hip and then my thigh. "Kind of proves my point, though. Why waste time _dreaming_ when we could be _doing_?"

I shivered lightly, feeling a little more frisky as she went on, and I let my own hands roam down her sides. "I suppose. But honestly, I think the pros still vastly outweigh the cons. Yes, we have to sleep, but we can go out in the sun...we don't look like insomniacs all the time...we can eat human food…"

"I didn't say it was _all_ bad. And...ahhhh…" Her breath hitched as I leaned in to kiss her throat, finding a particularly sensitive spot. "There are definite...advantages...feeling better, are we?"

"Oh, sorry," I murmured, grinning unrepentantly against her skin. "I think I am, but if you wanted to doze until our alarm goes off, I can just read or…"

She cut me off with a low growl, sliding up my body and capturing my lips with her own, and with that, the conversation was officially over.

* * *

After a long interlude and a shared shower, we finally dressed and made our way up to the main house, and I took the opportunity to revel in the scent of the trees and the flowers, the feeling of the sunlight on my skin. I had been scarce around Forks ever since school let out - officially, I'd been helping out with the preparations for dad's wedding to Kate, but in fact I'd been restoring a few of the Cullens to humanity. Edward had been the first to volunteer - Angela might know the truth now, but he still worried about her safety. Then there'd been Rosalie and Emmett. All of them planned to become hybrids toward the end of the summer, or so they said. I wasn't sure Edward would actually keep to that. But for now, I had reduced Edward and Rose's powers to safe levels, and all three were enjoying their temporarily mortal lives.

Carlisle and Esme had chosen to remain full vampires, as had Tanya, Irina, Eleanor, Jessamine (now going by Mina) and Jasper. Jasper's decision had been a matter of necessity, given his shared mission with Mina over the summer. The others...I didn't pry into their reasoning, and frankly, I wouldn't have had time to turn all of them human if they _had_ wanted it. It was just as well.

After an all too brief walk in the sun, we stepped into the Cullen house to find the family gathered - and a much larger family, at that, than the one I'd met on my initial arrival in Forks. We'd managed to integrate Mina into the household as Jasper's twin sister, temporarily separated due to the vagaries of the foster care system, and Eleanor as Eleanor McCarthy, a distant cousin whose parents had tragically passed. I'd grown fairly accustomed to seeing them about, even if the triad Eleanor had formed with Emmett and Rose still took some getting used to, and things were still slightly awkward between Mina, Alice and myself.

But everyone was here today. The whole extended family, from my dad and Kate, to Kate's sisters, to Leah, Sam, Callie, Jessica, and finally Angela, the latest addition to our circle of trust. I'd seen each and every one of them only yesterday, at the wedding, but there was still a sense of comfort in having them all around me, even if that comfort was a little bittersweet. I wouldn't see most of their faces again for months. And despite all our planning, a part of me worried I'd never see some of them again. That it would all go wrong, somehow, and our family would be broken - broken and hunted, at that, if things went poorly enough.

Alice glanced over at me, sensing my distress, and squeezed my hand as we took our seats. Carlisle moved to stand in the center of the living room, where everyone could see, and cast a smile at all of us before he spoke.

"Thank you for coming, everyone. I know we all have work to do, but I thought we should check in one last time before we go, just to make sure everyone's ready. Charlie, Kate, there's...still time to back out, if you want. We could drop you off at Isle Esme for a real honeymoon, we have other ways of contacting Amun, and as for the Maltese, Bella did say she's uncertain…"

"No," Kate said, shaking her head firmly, glancing at dad for confirmation. "We're your best chance at reaching any of them, and if we do attract the attention of the Volturi, well."

"If we encounter them, my powers are up to it. We've confirmed I can shield Kate and myself," dad finished. "That's still a lot to get used to - powers and all - but I've got a handle on it. Aro won't be able to read our minds and most of their guard's abilities won't work on us. We just have to hope they'll see us as curiosities at worst."

"And I'm mostly uncertain because the Maltese have an existing connection to the Volturi. It's a risk, I'm not denying it, but - in the books, once they realized hybrids weren't a threat and no one had created an immortal child, they refused to grant the Volturi further support against the Cullens or their allies," I added. "If we can get to them first, tell them our story, I think we stand a chance. We'll need to be cautious about bringing them into the revolution, but at least we can give them something to think about. Still, if Malta seems like too big a risk...I don't want anything to happen to either of you."

Dad smiled gently at me, then reached over to put his hand over mine. "Even if it just means the Volturi have fewer allies, it's worth it. Let me do this for you, Bells. Hell, let me do it for all of us. From what all of you have said, the Volturi _need_ to be taken down a few pegs, and chipping away at their supporters is a place to start."

"I won't let anything happen to your father, Bella. Not if I can help it. You know that," Kate promised.

I let out a long breath, nodding slowly, grasping dad's fingers and squeezing slightly. "I know. Thank you, just - just be careful."

"Always am, kiddo," dad murmured.

"All right," Carlisle said at last. "Leah, how's the pack doing?"

"Good. Better now that we're immune to vampire venom." Leah nodded at me, shooting me a crooked grin, and I grinned back. "Doesn't make us invincible, not by a long shot, but it makes us harder to kill, and our numbers should be more than enough to deal with any nomads or scouting parties. With school out we can expand our patrols, cover Forks and the house. We're not going to let anyone through."

"And Jessica and I will keep working on that notice-me-not spell. I'm sure there's a way to cover the town and the reservation, it's just a matter of powering the shield, making it self-sustaining," Callie interjected.

Jessica nodded. "I have some ideas on that. We're working the problem, we'll solve it in no time."

"I know we're not witches, but if there's anything Edward or I can do to help, you'll let us know, right?" Angela asked, lacing her fingers with Edward's. "I feel kind of useless, honestly, I'd be glad to do _something_."

"There might be something. We'll let you know. I'd say anyone can learn magic but - honestly I'm not sure that's true in this world. There's...a lot we still have to learn."

Callie looked over at me as she spoke, and we locked eyes for a moment before I let my gaze fall into my lap. I hadn't exactly been keeping up with my meditation or mental exercises, but to be fair, they hadn't been doing much of anything. I could shield my thoughts from psychic intrusion, or at least confuse Edward with surface thoughts, but that was just a trick. I still couldn't do proper _magic_, and I still couldn't feel the living world around me the way I once had. I had power for sure, but part of me was still numb. Alice - the Alice of my dream at the seaside cottage - had said I might rebuild that connection eventually, but eventually seemed to be the best I could hope for.

"Thank you. All of you," Carlisle said. "I'm sure you'll keep our home safe. Jasper, I'm assuming you still haven't heard from Peter or Charlotte."

"No, but that's not too surprising. I know their range, I'm sure we'll find them. And if for some reason we don't, well...there's always Maria," Jasper replied. Beside him, Mina tightened her grip on the armrests of her chair, causing an audible crack. "Aw, sis, don't be like that. Maria was - well, she could be a monster back in the day, but if Peter thinks she's changed, she probably has. Last we spoke he said she was doing a lot better. No more disposable newborn armies, nice little coven, seemed a lot friendlier. If _Peter_ is willing to keep in touch with her she can't be as bad as she was, and she might be able to point us his way if all else fails."

"Yeah, well, from the stories you've told, I'm going to trust her about as much as I'd trust a rattlesnake about to strike," Mina hissed.

Jasper smirked, just slightly. "And that right there's why I'll be doing all the talking. Just stand behind me and glower, you're good at that."

Mina smacked his arm in response, but I caught a smile flitting briefly across her lips, just as Tanya took the floor. "We've made contact with our friends in Japan and Russia. They're expecting us. We have a lot of ground to cover, but hopefully the network will make it easier."

"Hell, I'm looking forward to it," Eleanor remarked, grinning from where she sat nestled with Rose and Emmett on one of the couches. "I reckon I've seen just about everything interesting there is to see on this continent. Can't wait to get a look at another."

Rosalie sighed, leaning into her. "Are you sure we can't convince you to come with us?"

"Baby, you'll have Em all summer long," Eleanor replied, her face softening as she squeezed Rose's hand, then brought it to her lips for a kiss. "And much as I'd like to see you in a bikini, you know I can't go out in that sun. I'll miss you something fierce, both of you, but we're going to have one hell of a reunion."

She exchanged a smoldering, lascivious look with Emmett over Rose's head while Rosalie herself pouted, leaning up to kiss her. Across the room, Irina rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.

"You do realize this isn't a vacation, yes?"

Tanya smiled indulgently, raising her hands. "Well...it's a working vacation, anyway. I'm sure we'll all have time for an interlude or two...or several, in some cases."

She arched an eyebrow at me, and I grinned sheepishly. "Okay, yeah, I guess our itinerary's a little indulgent," I admitted. "But we _do_ have work to do. We're not going to slack off too much."

"That reminds me, I've gotten ahold of Alistair. He's willing to meet, but only people he already knows. He specifically said no new people, even mates. Sorry, Bella," Carlisle said. "It looks like this will fall to Rosalie and Emmett."

"He's in for kind of a shock, but okay," Emmett agreed, flashing a broad grin.

Carlisle chuckled. "I did warn him, but I'm not sure he believed me, so tread lightly. He spooks easily at the best of times. As for Esme and myself, I have nothing more to add - the Amazon coven stays within a fairly well-defined territory, so they should be easy to contact, and then it's a matter of finding Nahuel and Huilen. This is going to be a long summer. For all of us. Stay in touch as much as you can, and stay safe."

There were general murmurs of agreement throughout the room, and then the spell was broken, and we were all getting up and mingling, saying our goodbyes. I hugged my dad fiercely, neither of us eager to let go, and when at last we did, I found Callie waiting right there, ready to pull me into a tight hug of her own.

"I'm going to miss you, Castaway," she whispered, as I hugged her back. "Be careful out there. Don't go too crazy. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"I love you, too, Calamity," I returned, tears stinging my eyes, just a little. "And no promises, there's a lot of shit I'd do that you wouldn't."

"Damn. Here I was hoping you wouldn't notice." Callie let me go, and we both chuckled softly, resting our foreheads against one another briefly. "I do, you know. Love you. You're the one thing that makes sense in this whole damn world sometimes."

I smirked. "Me? Make sense? You have _got_ to have me mixed up with someone else. Anyway, you've got Leah to keep you busy while I'm gone. And the days are going to fly by, you'll see."

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one minding the homefront," she returned. "But yeah. I've got Leah. We'll be okay. You just focus on your little world tour."

"Not exactly a _world_ tour," Leah said, coming over to join us. "You're visiting some of the whitest places I've heard of. But at least you'll blend in."

I grinned, turning to hug her, too. "Yeah, yeah. You have a point. Hey, you take care of yourself, okay? And your pack. And Callie."

"I always take care of Callie! Callie, any complaints?" Leah demanded, though she hugged me back.

"No mints on my pillow," Callie returned, counting off on her fingers. "Nowhere near enough backrubs. Let's see, what else…"

"I said I take care of you, I didn't say I spoil you, and I give you plenty of backrubs, woman. I swear I get no respect around here." Leah shook her head, turning back to me. "Hey. You take care of yourself, too, kid."

"We have like the easiest job. I'll be fine," I promised. "But I'll miss you both. I'll call as often as I can."

"Good. You'd better." Leah gave me a curt nod, then glanced over my shoulder, sighing. "Guess the train's pulling out. Look after her, Baby Dracula."

"I will, Fluffypants," Alice said from behind me. I turned, and she gave me a rueful little grin. "Sorry. Time's up. We'd better go meet your mom."

"Yeah. Okay," I agreed, sighing as I took one last look around, committing the Cullen house and all the people in it to memory - as though I'd forget a single detail. I shut my eyes at last, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

Despite the wide array of cars in the Cullen garage, the family had invested in a van for the occasional family trip, and so Carlisle and Esme drove our little party - Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and me - to the regional airport over in Port Angeles, seeing us inside, where mom and Phil were waiting with their luggage. Mom broke into a beaming smile the second she saw me, hurrying over to pull me into a hug, as though we hadn't just seen each other yesterday. With my growth spurt she was a head shorter than me, but I learned into it nonetheless, enveloping her in my arms.

"Bella! There you are! I was worried I'd have to ask your father to put out an APB," she said breezily.

I glanced at the clock. "We're not even late, we left plenty of time for security…"

Mom was already moving on to hug my girlfriend, kissing her cheek. "And Alice, dear, you look lovely as ever. Rosalie, Emmett, welcome - oh, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen! Thank you again for inviting Bella along on your vacation, I know she's really looking forward to it. You know, I have the cutest photos from the Disneyland trips Charlie used to take with her…"

"Mom," I protested quickly. "We, uh, should probably get in line."

"Any pictures with Ariel, Mrs. Dwyer?" Alice asked brightly. "I know she's Bella's favorite."

"We can look at childhood photos later, the TSA waits for no man - uh, thanks Carlisle, Esme, goodbye, see you in a week!" I chirped, grabbing both Alice and mom by the hand and tugging gently in the direction of the security checkpoint.

"Oh, all my albums at my house, but don't worry, I have some photos in my purse, I'll show you on the plane - goodness, Bella, when did you get so strong?" mom asked. "_Someone's_ eager for an adventure."

"Just - really looking forward to this visit. And yeah," I said, a little sheepishly, letting them go, looking out beyond the checkpoint, beyond the departure gates, to the summer skies I could just make out through the window. "I guess that's what this is going to be. An adventure."


	2. The Here and Now

Aside from Tanya, Irina, and Eleanor, we probably had the most complex mission - and as such we'd been afforded some indulgence: a week in Jacksonville, visiting mom and Phil, followed by a couple weeks at the theme parks. Mom knew about that part. What she didn't know was that Carlisle and Esme wouldn't be joining us there to chaperone, and we wouldn't be going back to Forks afterward - at least not right away. Once our vacation was done, we were headed to Biloxi, Mississippi, to learn what we could about Alice's family and her imprisonment at the asylum, beyond the details I'd been able to share with her. Then we'd be going north to Boston, to meet Carlisle's friend Garrett, a vampire who'd fought in the Revolutionary War. Then, at last, we'd head across the Atlantic to Ireland, to visit with Siobhan and her coven, and somewhere in all that Rosalie and Emmett would go to England to meet Alistair.

The journey was going to take the entire summer. I wouldn't see Forks or my friends or family there again until it was nearly time to begin my senior year. Fortunately, we expected to have access to phone service and to the Internet throughout most of our trip. Of all the teams, we would be best equipped to stay in touch with home. We just wouldn't see it for a while.

We were well equipped for our travels, at least: hidden in our luggage were fake passports and drivers' licenses, provided by the Cullens' go-to guy for forged papers, a Mr. Jenks. He'd been nervous and squirrelly when I met him, but I supposed it came with the territory, and to regularly dealing with intimidating people. The Cullens assured me they'd never had a problem with his work. Once we were out on our own, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett and I would have all the privileges of legal adulthood. As long as we were with my mother, though, we were still more or less a pack of teenagers.

"I have some ground rules," mom announced, breaking me out of my reverie as she moved across the aisle to sit with Alice and me, then leaning forward to get Rose and Emmett's attention. "They apply to you two, too."

"Mom, we're going to behave ourselves," I said, feeling my cheeks heat.

"Of course you will, Bella, I'm just setting realistic expectations," mom replied cheerfully. "And on that note, I know it's unrealistic to expect you aren't sexually active. Now, I've already spoken to Phil, and he's perfectly willing to follow my lead on this."

I groaned, pushing my face into the back of the seat in front of me while Emmett let out a booming laugh and Alice admitted a merry, tinkling giggle. "Mom. Mom, please."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Bella! And you have a wonderful girlfriend, she's so sweet and lovely, I'm very happy for you." Mom patted my hand. "I just want you to be safe and respectful. That's all it comes down to. I've stocked up on supplies, just in case you forgot to pack them, so don't worry about that. Rosalie, dear, are you on birth control?"

"Mom."

"I am, Mrs. Dwyer," Rose assured her, amusement lighting her voice. "I refilled my prescription before we left."

"Don't encourage her, please," I groaned, leaning over to look at Rose between the seats.

"Safe sex is important, Bella," Rosalie said sagely, turning to give me a solemn look, though her blue eyes twinkled. "It's not a good time for me to get pregnant, so I want to take every precaution."

"Exactly! Thank you, Rose, that's very sensible. See, dear, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Now, as for being respectful, I just want you to keep it down, and avoid 'hooking up,'" mom said, complete with air quotes, "in any rooms where we might walk in on you. Just keep it to your bedroom, please, and try not to do it too much during the day. I do want to spend time with you, you know."

I shut my eyes, nodding tightly. "Yep. Okay. Got it."

"Oh, don't worry, Bella, I remember what it was like to be a teenager. You two can always excuse yourself if necessary." Mom slung her arm around me. "Honestly, your father and I-"

"No. Nope. I - I am setting a boundary," I said firmly, my eyes snapping open. "No stories about your sexcapades with dad. Or Phil!"

Mom let go, leaning back and raising her hands. "All right, Bella. Good for you. I respect your boundaries. But you know you can always talk to me if you need to, and Alice, I hope you'll feel free to approach me as well."

I shot Alice a fierce 'don't you dare' sort of glare, and she covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. "Don't worry, Mrs. Dwyer, I'll keep that in mind."

"_God, I hate you_," I whispered, so quietly and rapidly that only Alice could hear, and she beamed at me, wrapping her arm around mine.

"You two are just so cute together," mom said, smiling broadly at the sight. "Well, it's a long flight, so I'll just get back to Phil and let you two have some alone time. Oh, do you need anything before I go? If you were thinking of heading to the bathroom, I think I have some things in my bag…"

"Really? Hey, Rose, want to join the Mile High Club?" Emmett asked.

"We're good! Alice and I are, uh, good, it would be _disrespectful_ to misuse an airplane lavatory, right?" I interjected. "Right, Alice?"

Alice smirked at me, but relented, nodding. "I suppose so. There aren't that many bathrooms on board, after all."

"All right. Well, let me know," mom said, getting up, then leaning over to speak to Rosalie and Emmett, winking. "I'll be right back with some condoms, just in case."

"All of you are on my list," I growled quietly, once she'd stepped back over to her seat.

"I don't think you know what you're missing," Rosalie said, rising from her seat, then leaning in to tug Emmett close, giving him a heated kiss. "Five minutes, monkey man."

"Yes ma'am," Emmett agreed, grinning.

I sighed, tapping at the little interface in the seat back in front of me to check our flight time again. Four hours to go.

Wonderful.

* * *

"There's no way they had sex in one of those bathrooms," Alice remarked, around two hours later, after returning from her own solo trip to actually use the airplane lavatory for the purpose intended by God.

I refused to look up from the Holly Black novel I was reading. I was not going to give her the satisfaction. I kept my voice pitched low and spoke rapidly, out of the range of human hearing, as Alice had. "We're not going to discuss this."

"The two of _us_ would barely fit in one of those things. I don't see how Emmett could have crammed in, let alone Emmett _and_ Rosalie," she continued blithely. "I mean, Rose is smaller than him, sure, but she's not _tiny_."

"Mmm."

"Except they obviously did _something_, because Emmett had that 'I just got laid' look and Rosalie looked incredibly self-satisfied."

I sighed, closing my book and setting it aside, looking up to meet Alice's twinkling green eyes. "Self-satisfied is Rose's natural state."

"True, but you have to admit there are nuances," Alice returned. "Anyway, you have to be curious about the mechanics of it. From a purely academic standpoint, if nothing else."

"I really feel like I've demonstrated I _don't_." Except now I _was_, in fact, thinking about it, and wondering how it had all worked, damn it all.

Before Alice could respond, Rosalie piped up from the seats in front of us, speaking at a whisper. "I don't have to hear you to know when you're talking about us behind our backs."

Alice and I exchanged a look and, silently agreeing, threw a quick, silent round of rock-paper-scissors. I lost, and scowled at her cheating while she beamed. "...we're not," I lied.

"Were you talking about trying some airplane sex of your very own?" Emmett asked, sounding endlessly amused with himself. "Be honest, I have money on this."

"First of all, you're gross, second, no, we weren't," I returned.

Rosalie sniffed. "You were definitely talking about us, and you're still a terrible liar. We really need to fix that. Pay up, Emmett."

"Hey, I didn't hear a final answer either way."

"You know I'm right, you owe me five dollars."

I groaned, mushing my face into the back of their seats. "If I admit that Alice sucked me into a conversation about _how_ exactly you both fit into one of those bathrooms, can I spend the last hour of this flight reading my book in peace?"

"I _knew_ you were thinking about it!" Alice hissed triumphantly.

"Dammit, Bella," Emmett grumbled good-naturedly.

Rosalie got up from her seat, grinning as she tucked a five-dollar bill into her pocket, and slipped out of the row, moving to sit with Alice and me. I tried to turn back to my book, but she reached over Alice and snatched it away.

"Hey!"

Rose skimmed the back cover and arched an eyebrow. "You're reading about a seventeen-year-old girl who moves to a new town and falls in with a bunch of supernatural creatures? My God, Bella, how many times do you need to read the same story?"

"It's very different, trust me," I retorted, grabbing my book back.

"Uh-huh. Does the main character fall in love with some kind of terrifying monster?"

"None of you are terrifying. You're all dorks." I stuck out my tongue for good measure.

"So how _did_ you two fit?" Alice asked brightly, and I heard Emmett laugh from the seat in front of us.

Rosalie smirked. "Do you actually want to know?"

I sighed, dropping my book dramatically in my lap. "Well now I'm pretty sure you have to tell us or it's going to bother me all day."

Rose smiled wickedly at that, leaning in close. Alice leaned in as well, and God helped me, so did I, until all our faces were nearly touching. Her blue eyes darted briefly between us, searching both our faces, and then her lips parted and she spoke.

"Tough."

With that, she got back up, and I groaned, shutting my eyes and leaning back. "You are a _sadist_."

Emmett snickered. "Technically-"

"No, sweetheart, always leave them wanting," Rosalie replied cheerfully, settling in beside him. I heard Alice rooting around in her bag and opened one eye to look at her.

"What are you doing now?"

"Diagrams. It's the only way I'm going to figure this out," she replied, pulling her sketchbook and pencils out of her bag.

I opened my other eye, regarded her for a long moment, then sighed once more, reaching for my own backpack and tucking my book back inside.

"Fine," I agreed, turning my full attention to her quick, light sketches. "I guess we're doing this."

* * *

By the time we landed, Alice and I had worked out about half a dozen plausible scenarios out of the twenty or so sketches she'd made. I was honestly hoping that would be the end of it, but as we rose from our seats to begin disembarking, she tore out the page and shoved it into Emmett's hands. He scanned it quickly, Rose looking over his shoulder, and grinned.

"The second one, but damn, I kind of wish we'd tried three and six," he replied. "Think they'd let us back there before we get off?"

"No, plane ride over, we're only getting off in the literal sense now," I fired back immediately.

"Awwwww."

"Don't worry, baby, we still have those flights to Boston and Ireland ahead of us," Rosalie whispered, patting his back.

"Why did we invite them on this trip again?" I asked Alice.

"Hello again, sweetheart!" my mom exclaimed, as we met in the aisle, giving me a quick one-armed hug. "Did you all have a nice flight?"

"Sure did, Mrs. Dwyer," Emmett said, with a crooked, boyish grin.

"Oh, what's that?" mom asked, gesturing at the sketchbook page still in his hands.

Moving as quick as I dared in front of humans, I snatched the page out of his hands, folded it, and shoved it in my mouth, chewing it rapidly. Alice turned to stare at me, her lips quirking, while my mother gaped.

"Bella! What was that about?"

I swallowed the chewed-up wads of paper carefully, making a face. "It's...um...a surprise. Don't want to spoil it."

My mom's eyes narrowed, and she glanced between me and Alice, who smiled and batted her eyelashes innocently. "Uh...huh. If you say so. Oh - I guess we'd better get moving."

We finally made our way up the aisle toward the door of the plane, and Alice touched my arm lightly, laughter in her voice as she whispered. "Smooth, Bells."

"I did what had to be done," I hissed back at her.

"You know she'll be expecting some kind of surprise now."

"You can do a mother-daughter portrait. It'll be sweet, and hopefully distract all of us from your twisted little mind."

Alice clucked her tongue. "I didn't hear any complaints about my twisted little mind this morning, but if _that's_ how you feel…"

She ran her fingers slowly up my arm, then down my back, sending shivers through my spine. When she reached the small of my back, just above my ass, she abruptly withdrew, and I had to bite back a groan. "Alice…"

"What? We don't want to scandalize your _mother._ Even if she's practically a walking scandal herself," she teased.

"Can we just agree we're not going to show the Rosalie and Emmett edition of the _Kama Sutra_ to either of my parents?" I asked, shivering inwardly, just a little, in sudden need. Damn it, there was no way I was getting any kind of release for an hour or two at _least_.

"Well," she murmured, drawing it out, her voice such pure sex that she _had_ to know what she was doing to me. "I suppose relationships _are_ all about compromise. You made sure to pack _everything_ on the list, didn't you? Even that lingerie I bought you?"

"The purple? With the, um…" I gestured vaguely, a blush rising to my cheeks.

"Mmmm-hm," Alice purred. I swallowed hard and nodded. "There's my good girl. I think we can come to an...arrangement."

I felt like my face was going to burst into flames at any moment, right in front of the disembarking crowd and the nice flight attendant by the door. A whole week of Alice teasing me mercilessly in my mother's house might very well be the death of me, no matter how permissive my mom seemed to be. But it would be a hell of a way to go.

"You are a wicked, wicked woman," I whispered to her, but I turned back to flash her a lopsided grin. "But I love you."

Alice let out a throaty little laugh, her pupils slightly dilated, her eyes sparkling and full of promise. "Believe me, baby, I know."

* * *

I somehow managed to cool off enough to make it through baggage claim and the car ride to mom and Phil's house without melting into a puddle of pure desire, even with Alice sitting on my lap and wriggling teasingly due to the lack of space. At last we pulled into the driveway of a cozy little one-story home on the outskirts of the city, with a riot of large, leafy ferns growing at the edges of the small yard. Even with the sun dropping lower in the summer sky, it was impressively hot and muggy, and I saw a small lizard basking on a rock near the front door as we made our way in. It darted under the cover of a fern as Phil approached the door, pulling out his keys.

"We'll probably just order in tonight - there's a Lebanese place nearby that does a great tabbouleh," mom announced.

I tried not to sound too surprised - of course my mother would remember what I liked - but I couldn't help blurting out, "I love tabbouleh."

She grinned, slipping an arm around my shoulders as we went inside. "I remember. Their baklava is to die for, too, you're in for a treat. But come on, let me show you all around so you can get settled in."

There wasn't a great deal to see inside the house. Just inside the door was the main sitting and dining area, attached to an open plan kitchen. A set of sliding glass doors led to a little deck that sat low to the ground and the small yard beyond, and off to the side there was a door to the garage and laundry room. The bedrooms were all on the other side of the house, arrayed around one of the bathrooms, with a private bath attached to the master. We dropped Rosalie and Emmett off at the guest bedroom before mom opened the door to the room I'd be sharing with Alice.

"I tried to make it look as much as your room back in Phoenix as I could," mom said, smiling as we took it in. "I mean, it helped that you didn't take too much with you to Forks. If you want to take more of it when you go, or if you want anything shipped to you, that's fine, obviously."

She sounded a little nervous - even a little sad - so I turned and pulled her into a hug. She let out a small sound of surprise, but immediately relaxed, hugging me back. "It's perfect, mom. And...I mean...this is home, too. Even if I'm not here all the time."

"Yeah. Yeah, that's - what I was going for," she agreed, a little awkwardly, her voice thick with emotion.

We parted after a couple more moments, and I looked around. Aside from the fact that the bed was made up more or less neatly, in many ways, my bedroom here felt more lived-in than my room back in Forks. I'd made that space my own to some degree, and Alice and I had settled in thoroughly at Pine Cottage, but this was the kind of bedroom I would have expected myself to have, lending credence to dad's claim that I hadn't changed much after remembering my old life and losing my early memories of my life here as Bella Swan. A small collection of stuffed animals sat on my bed, including Kermit the Frog, Flounder, a purple dragon and a slightly threadbare brown teddy bear with a nose crumpled into his snout. A map of the moon was tacked up above the headboard, all of the landmarks and landing sites meticulously labeled and the phases described below, and charts of the solar system and the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere above my dresser. A Little Mermaid movie poster, plus posters of Wonder Woman, Princess Leia, and Michelle Branch ate up space on the other walls. There was a low bookshelf shoved against the wall just under the window, packed full of familiar titles: _Harry Potter_, _Baby-Sitters' Club_ and _Sweet Valley High_ novels, along with the first three Earthsea books, a couple Shakespeare plays, and classics like _Pride & Prejudice_ and - I was amused to note - _Dracula_. I was a little surprised I hadn't brought more of these books with me to Forks, or more of the stuffed animals or posters. I wondered if I had truly planned on staying there at the time, or if I had just figured I'd live with my father until my mom and Phil landed somewhere for good, and then I'd go rejoin them, wherever they were.

My journal entries from before the change had been scattershot. Between the list of passwords and other documents I'd found, and my knowledge of the books, I'd just been able to slide into my new life as Bella Swan, but there was still so much I didn't know about my own history.

Alice squeezed my hand, bringing me back to myself, and I started a little as I looked back at her, starting to smile. I supposed my past didn't matter so much anymore, not when we were building a future together.

"Well, I'll leave you two to get settled in," mom announced, stepping back toward the door, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "We'll order dinner in about an hour, sound good? Unless you're hungry now."

"No, I mean, we snacked on the plane. I can wait a while," I said, catching a _kind_ of hunger in Alice's eyes, but not the kind my mother was talking about. "An hour sounds good. Thanks, mom."

"Thanks, Mrs. Dwyer," Alice echoed.

"Oh, please, dear, call me Renée," mom replied. "Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you do get peckish. I'll see you girls later."

She retreated, flashing us one last smile as she shut the door, and Alice immediately turned on me, pushing me gently but firmly toward the bed, getting up on her toes to capture my lips with her own. I grabbed her hips and hoisted her up until she could wrap her legs around my waist, and she looped her arms about my neck for good measure, breaking our kiss to move her lips across my jaw and down my neck. I let out a soft, desperate groan, and she snickered softly, pulling back just enough to search my eyes, her own darkened with desire.

"That lingerie. I think you should put it on," she murmured.

"I'd have to let you go," I whispered back. "Plus you're just going to take it off again."

"See, I _bought_ you those panties because they're the kind you don't _have_ to take off, baby." She bit her lip, a pretty little blush rising to her cheeks as she searched my eyes, and I felt a hot flush rising in my own face in response.

"We have an _hour_," I protested.

She shrugged one shoulder, leaning in to plant tiny, fluttering kisses in the hollow of my throat, making me moan again softly. "Sounds like plenty of time to me. Didn't we have a deal?"

I let out a long breath, then spun her around abruptly, dropping her onto my bed, smirking as she squeaked in surprise. Then, recovering herself, she leaned back, propping herself against the pillows, blowing a tuft of dark hair out of her face. Her eyes were filled with open need, her lips ripe and slightly parted, her face flushed and her legs spread a little ways apart. I caught a small hint of a smile as she waited, patiently, and I backed up until I hit my suitcase and could fumble blindly with the zipper. Part of me wanted to move at my full speed, tear my clothes off and pull on the outfit she wanted in an instant, but it took care to change clothes at speed without tearing them and I barely had any restraint at the moment.

Besides. Two could play at this game.

I wiggled slowly out of the clothes I'd worn for the flight, trailing my long fingers lazily along every inch of flesh I revealed, arching my back as I pulled off my shirt, then letting my hips and ass sway enticingly as I tugged off my jeans. Alice reached for the hem of her own top as she watched, but I stopped her with a sharp glance, and she bit her lip again as she leaned back to watch the show. I reached behind my back to unclasp my bra, but stopped before pulling it all the way off, tilting my head to regard her for a moment and then jerking my chin. With a little pout, she turned away, but I could see her watching me out of the corner of her eyes. I folded my arms under my chest, pushing my breasts up just a bit, and tapped my foot until she sighed and shut them.

With the striptease over and done with, I could move a little faster, though I still had to exercise some care. I fumbled in my suitcase for a moment until my fingers grazed the soft, fine fabric of the lingerie set, and I pulled it out carefully, only then stripping off the plain white bra and panties I'd worn under my street clothes. The purple lingerie required a little more care to put on, and I could feel the tension in the air from Alice's mounting desire, smell her arousal. Finally I managed to get it all in place, top, panties, stockings, garters, and I inched forward again before clearing my throat.

Her eyes snapped open and lit up with pleasure, her lips spreading in a shameless grin. "Gorgeous girl."

"_Your_ gorgeous girl," I reminded her softly, stepping forward as she stood.

"That's right," she agreed, waiting until I was near enough to touch her before she tilted her head up, leaning in to kiss me as I began to undress her. "All mine. You going to let me take charge now, baby?"

"In a second." I stroked her belly, sliding my fingers downward, moving them slowly and carefully until I heard her breath hitch, until I'd made her squeak and gasp my name. Then, grinning wickedly, I pulled away, lowering my head and rolling my eyes up to look at her submissively through my long lashes. "Where do you want me?"

Alice needed a moment to collect herself, and then her eyes narrowed. "On the bed," she replied, moving to straddle me the moment I'd climbed onto the mattress and laid back. "I am going to _get_ you, Bella Swan."

I shivered at her tone of voice, but couldn't help one last cheeky smirk. "That a promise?"

"You bet your ass," she growled, but her expression softened as her eyes swept up and down my body, taking me in one more time. "I love you, baby."

I wanted to pay her back for earlier, wanted to riff off Han Solo the way she had, but one look at her face and my resolve fell apart like a house of cards. "I love you, too," I breathed, before squirming just a little beneath her. "And Alice?"

"Mm-hm?"

"I need you," I whispered urgently, my voice low and throaty, a dam breaking inside me just at the sight of her.

She met my eyes again, beaming as she lowered herself on top of me. "I got you."

* * *

The first couple days in Jacksonville, we mostly lounged around the house, basking in the air conditioning and recovering from our jet lag. Alice and I bounced back quickly - it seemed there were any number of advantages to hybrid physiology, even if we did still need to sleep - but the humans among us took a little longer, and Rosalie was particularly brittle and irritable until she'd adjusted. By Wednesday, fortunately, everyone seemed to hit their stride, and we were ready to hit the beaches.

"Next time I say I want to be human again, don't listen to me," Rose groused quietly to me as we packed the car.

"Yeah, this was a one-time deal. Ireland's going to be a joy at this rate," I muttered.

She gave me a sidelong glance, her expression softening. "I wasn't too much of a bitch to you, was I?"

"No. I mean, you were snippy, but...no more than usual. I'm mostly just worried about you." I turned to look at her fully, leaning against the bumper and folding my arms. "Are you sure you don't want to turn before we head across the Atlantic? Maybe - I don't know, maybe Alice and I can get Garrett to donate some venom or something when we meet up with him."

"No, I want it to be Charlie when the time comes," Rose replied, shaking her head decisively.

"It's...probably not going to matter, you know. I mean, you were pretty much full grown, and Alice and I - we had our own shit going on." I toyed with my red hair, and gestured at myself for emphasis.

"It matters to me. If we're going to be sisters…"

"We _are_ sisters," I interjected, grinning at her. "You think you're getting rid of me that easily, Hale?"

Her lips quirked in a lopsided little smile. "No, I know I'm stuck with you. I just - I want that connection. It probably sounds stupid and sappy as shit, but - I do."

"Sappy, yeah. Stupid...no," I assured her, touching her arm. "Nothing you do is stupid, Rose. If this is what you want, then I want it for you. Besides, it's not like I'm eager to sit by your bedside getting all gross for three solid days. I love you, don't get me wrong, but I am _not_ looking forward to the vigil."

"Yeah, you're going to be a mess," Rosalie agreed, smirking when I stuck out my tongue in response.

"Jerk."

"Brat."

"Who's ready for the beach?" mom called from the front door, as she emerged from the house, with Emmett following behind her carrying a massive cooler, and Alice emerging last of all.

"Shit, is that thing even going to _fit_?" I asked, turning back to the trunk, mentally rearranging the beach chairs and bags already inside.

Emmett chuckled. "That's just what Rose-"

"Finish that sentence and you won't like the consequences, teddy bear," Rosalie called out brightly, before turning back to the trunk. "We'll just have to cram the beach bags into the back seat."

"I can sit on your lap again if that helps," Alice remarked, joining us and leaning up to kiss my cheek.

I eyed the yellow bikini she was wearing under her filmy coverup and rolled my eyes towards the heavens, fanning myself. "That would in no way help anything."

Alice giggled, lifting one of the beach bags out of the trunk. "Well, just thought I'd offer. I'll take the middle, then."

We removed the rest of the bags and shifted the beach chairs aside as Emmett brought the cooler over, sliding it into the space we'd made. We shut the trunk and he turned to look at me, his eyes slowly narrowing. I lifted my chin, staring steadily back at him. Out of the corner of our eyes we watched my mom finish locking up and walk over to the car. As one, we raised our hands, counting off with our fingers, readying ourselves for the fateful moment. She reached the driver's side door and-

"Shotgun," Rosalie proclaimed, before either Emmett or I could speak, slipping around us and making for the other side of the car. We both groaned, turning to look at her, and she tossed her hair and smirked. "What? I called it fair and square."

"It's my mother's car!" I protested.

Emmett gestured at himself. "I'm a goddamned mountain!"

"All excellent arguments you should have made before I called it." Rose slid her sunglasses on and opened the door, slipping into the front seat.

Emmett and I exchanged a glance, and I sighed, leaning against the car. "We can't involve Alice."

"No, she'll call it just for the fun of it," he agreed.

I nodded. "And if either one of us distracts Rosalie, the other one pretty much wins by default. Plus you're whipped."

He gasped dramatically, bringing his hand to his chest. "I am _not_ whipped. You're whipped!"

"Hey! Losers! We're burning daylight!" Rosalie called, poking her head out of the open window.

"Yes'm," Emmett agreed, heading for one of the back doors.

"Sorry," I muttered, making my way to the other. We squeezed in on either side of Alice, who beamed innocently while we buckled our seatbelts and mom backed out of the driveway. It wasn't until we were well underway that my beloved girlfriend glanced between us and flicked her wrist for emphasis, speaking at a whisper only Emmett and I could hear.

"Ww-ksh."

* * *

Once we'd set ourselves up on the beach, we wasted no time heading for the water, where Emmett immediately declared a chicken fight. Rosalie climbed up on his shoulders, while Alice climbed up on mine, and we drove at one another, our riders shoving and slapping to try and unseat each other. I bobbed and weaved as much as I could, trying to help Alice make up for Rose's reach and doing my level best to ignore the distraction of her thighs wrapped around my neck, and when Alice finally managed to catch Rose by surprise and topple her into the ocean, my mother promptly laughed so hard she slipped in the wet sand and fell over as well.

"Mom!" I yelled, diving under and fetching her as Alice slid from my shoulders in one fluid movement. We resurfaced and mom sputtered a little, still chuckling even as she snorted water from her nose. "Shit, mom, are you okay?"

"I'm - oh - I'm fine," she managed to get out, shaking her head and patting my arm, coughing softly. "I just wasn't expecting that, your girlfriend's so little!"

"Yeah. Yeah, she is," I agreed, with a weak little chuckle. "Little but fierce. Come on, let's go lay on the beach for a while, okay?"

"All right," she agreed, and I helped her back onto shore, walking back over to our beach chairs. I settled her in under the broad umbrella we'd brought, then dropped into the chair next to her, reaching for the cooler.

"You doing all right? Would water help? I mean, fresh water," I said, digging around.

"Remind me which one of us is the mother here again," she teased, before letting out another cough. "Ugh. Really, Bella, I'll be fine. But - yes, all right, I'll take a water."

I handed a bottle off to her, snagging one for myself and cracking it open, sipping it slowly, letting the cold liquid slide down my throat. I scanned the water again, watching Alice, Rosalie and Emmett splash one another, and took a couple deep, careful breaths before looking over at my mom again. She was watching me with a bemused little smile as she sipped from her bottle.

"I really scared you, didn't I?" she asked softly.

I nodded, biting my lip sheepishly. "A little."

"Well, I'm sorry. Though I _could_ point out that you kids weren't exactly keeping safety in mind with that little stunt," she replied. "Things happen, Bella, and - if you're lucky there's no real harm done. You can't panic over every little slip and fall."

"And was that your policy when _I_ slipped and fell as a kid?"

She chuckled softly. "Well, I had to get used to it eventually. You did it a lot. You move so gracefully now, I can hardly believe it. When you left for Forks you were still tripping over your own feet half the time. You've changed...so much since you went to live with your father."

Her gaze grew a little distant at that, her voice turning sad and wistful, and I felt a small, echoing pang of sorrow for what she'd missed - all the things that had happened, all the things I still couldn't tell her. I reached out to take her hand, squeezing gently. "I can't have changed that much."

"Not deep down, no. Not in the ways that count," she replied, meeting my eyes once more and giving me a weak smile. "But when you left me in Phoenix, you were still all long, skinny limbs and angles, like an overgrown puppy. You still had that splotchy blush, that way of hiding behind your hair. You were still a kid, my kid, and now...you're going to be eighteen in a couple more months, and look at you. You were always a pretty girl, but now you're this beautiful young woman, and I missed that. I missed seeing you grow up."

Her voice grew a little choked with the tears I could see glistening in her eyes, and I felt myself getting slightly teary myself as I looked down at the sand. "You didn't miss it, mom, you were there - all my life. I hit a last growth spurt, is all. At least I hope it's the last one. And I don't...we have lots of time ahead of us. All the time in the world to catch up, to visit each other…"

_Assuming I don't die in the fight against the Volturi,_ I thought as I trailed off, shutting my eyes briefly. _Assuming we avoid any number of terrible fates. And someday I either need to tell you the truth or let you live out your days in ignorance, and oh, you might choose a mortal life even if given the choice, and I'm going to have to watch my mother fade away all over again._

"I know. I know there's - time. But I've missed seeing you every day, sweetheart," mom said quietly. "When Phil landed that spot with the Jumbo Shrimp and I found that new teaching gig here, I thought...maybe you'd finish out the school year in Forks and then come join us. But you've put down roots up there. Not just with Alice, but - I saw you with all your friends at the wedding. Forks is home now, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it is, but...that doesn't mean I don't have a home with you, too," I told her.

"I know. You said." Mom squeezed my hand, smiling sadly. "It's okay, Bella. You were always going to leave the nest sooner or later. I guess that day just came sooner than I thought."

"It's not like I'm exactly...not...nesting," I replied awkwardly. "I still have a year of high school coming up."

"That's true. And obviously I'll be coming up for your graduation, and - well, I hope I get to see you off to college."

I bit my lip again, running my fingers through my hair. "Uh, I hope so, too, but - Alice and I are actually going to take some time off before college. Live in the world for a while, maybe - backpack through Europe or something."

Mom stared at me blankly for a moment, then let out a sudden whoop of delighted laughter. "Isabella Swan! Of all the things that could have come out of your mouth just then, I _never_ expected to hear that. My serious little baby girl taking time _off_? Instead of jumping straight into undergrad and pivoting right into, I don't know, some kind of junior editor job in New York? Do you even _have_ a five-year plan anymore?"

I laughed, a little nervously, shaking my head. "I can't say I've really thought that far ahead lately."

"Oh. Oh, sweetheart, that Alice of yours has been good for you," mom said, wiping merry tears from her eyes.

"It wasn't exactly - _entirely_ her idea."

"No? Well. She's still changed you. I can tell," she said, patting my hand, turning to look out at the water. "The two of you...you're serious, aren't you?"

"Uh, weren't we just talking about how she's made me less serious?" I joked evasively.

"You know what I mean."

I looked down at my lap, not quite able to look at my mother while I nodded slowly. "Yeah. We're serious."

"Oh, Bella," she sighed, pausing briefly. "Sweetheart? Look at me, all right?"

I hesitated, then looked up again, turning to meet her eyes. She smiled softly as she continued. "Bella, listen to me. I can't stop you from making all the same mistakes I did. I can't even tell you if anything you're doing _is_ a mistake, or if maybe the very same choices will work for you the way they never worked for me. And...I did love your father, honey, I loved him very much, part of me always will. We just wanted different things out of life, that's why we couldn't be together. I'm - I'm rambling, but what I'm trying to tell you is that you need to be sure. You and Alice need to talk about the life you want to build together before you're in too deep to get out without pain. You need to make sure you're on the same page. You need to be _certain_ of what you want, because I just don't want you to hurt each other the way your father and I did. You get it?"

"I get it, mom," I said, very quietly. "And I promise we're talking about that stuff. But...I love her. And I trust her. More than I can say, she's - she's everything to me. She's smart, and funny, and gorgeous, and she keeps me honest, and sometimes she says or does something so incredible it just leaves me shattered. She's _home_, she's my heart and soul, and I know whatever life we build is going to be amazing as long as I get to build it with her. And I promise we're both going to be okay. We are. You don't have to worry."

Tears glistened in my mother's eyes, and she gave me a bittersweet little smile as she reached up to cup my cheek. "Okay, Bella. If this is what you want, then - go for it, darling. With all your heart. And I'll be cheering you on all along the way."

I smiled back at her, leaning over to pull her into a loose hug, and we held each other close for a moment before Alice came bounding up, tapping my arm.

"Come on, Bella, I'm going to turn you into a mermaid!" she chirped, beaming.

Mom and I both laughed, pulling apart, and I turned to raise an eyebrow at my girlfriend. "Come again?"

"Mermaid time! Come lay down by the shore," Alice replied, grabbing my hand and tugging me to my feet. She dropped her voice, murmuring so quietly and rapidly only I can hear. "I want to talk to you, baby, just for a little while."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," I agreed, at a normal volume, glancing back at my mom, who took another pull from her water bottle. "You going to be okay here for a bit?"

Mom waved us off. "Just fine, honey, you two go have fun. Come get me when you're done, Alice, I have a feeling I'll _definitely_ want a photo."

"You got it, Renée," Alice said, and she led me by the hand down to the strip of wet sand by the water, shoving gently at my shoulders. "You, down."

"I'm having sudden bedroom flashbacks here," I joked, getting down on my back.

Alice smirked at me, beginning to pile sand around my legs. "Sadly, I think _that_ would cause a little too much of a scandal, don't you?"

"You're right. Too bad we don't have a private beach for that sort of thing."

"Maybe _you_ don't," she retorted. "Did those books of yours ever mention Isle Esme?"

"Oh yeah. That's where Edward and Bella went on their honeymoon," I recalled.

Alice gave a little shudder. "Ugh. It is still just _weird_ to think of you and Edward..._together._"

I laughed, poking her arm when it came in range of my hand. "Believe me, it's surreal to me too. He's not exactly my type."

"No, you're way more into jocks," she agreed.

"Jocks and tiny, incorrigible little pixies, yeah."

"Is that why you love me? Because I'm one hundred percent pure beefcake?" Alice joked, pausing to flex one arm, incidentally arching her back enticingly in the process.

My breath caught a little as I gazed up at her, giving her a little smirk. "Yeah, you caught me. I'm here for the gun show, pure and simple."

Alice threw her hand dramatically to her brow, feigning a slight swoon. "Will no one ever love me for my twisted little mind?"

I burst into giggles at her antics, and she grinned slyly down at me, continuing to work. I let her pile sand in silence for a while before I spoke again. "So I'm assuming when you said you wanted to talk, you had something specific in mind."

"Oh, just...I heard some of your conversation with your mother," she replied, focusing on her work. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop exactly, but...your voice always seems to get my attention."

"It's okay," I assured her gently, and she looked up to flash me a small smile. "Was there something that bothered you, or…?"

"No, I mean, I wasn't bothered, exactly. And there was nothing specific, just…" She looked up again, letting out a long, thoughtful breath. "You love Renée."

"Well...yeah. I'd hope so. She's my mom," I said slowly. "Or she's my mom here, anyway. I mean, I know I don't really remember her, and she didn't get a lot of time in the books, but - I don't know, Alice, she just...fits, you know? Even if she's a little embarrassing sometimes, she's my _mom_. It's good that I love her, I'm supposed to love her."

"Yes, but...you love Renée the way you love Charlie."

"Who is my dad...oh." I glanced away as I finally realized what she was saying.

"Yeah, oh. The last time we had this conversation about one of your parents, you decided you couldn't leave him behind, wondering what had happened to you, and...baby, you know I love you, and I want you to be happy, and I'd do just about anything for you, but is that what's going to happen here?" Alice asked, her eyebrows knitting gently together.

"No. It's not, this is different, mom could die if she gets mixed up with the Volturi."

"Charlie almost died getting mixed up with James and his coven," she reminded me.

I grimaced, shaking my head. "I wasn't expecting him to insist on coming along like that. There was a lot I wasn't expecting. And that's exactly why I can't even tell mom about the Volturi, or anything we're up to, I can't risk her getting involved like that."

Alice raised her eyebrows at that. "So...you're willing to let your mom go on without any closure, if the worst happens? You're sure?"

I sighed, looking up at the sky, thinking for a moment. "Maybe not without _any_ closure. She's going to see me graduate next year, and - maybe we can set something up in advance. Letters that get sent to her automatically if we don't stop them, something like that, something that will...tell her a story if we're not there to share it ourselves. And, well, I mean, in the books Edward and Bella got married right after graduation, so there's always that option. Who doesn't love a wedding, right?"

Alice stopped working at that, waiting until I'd met her eyes again before speaking. "Is that...how would you feel about that, Bella?" she asked, very softly.

"Are you asking me to marry you?" I joked.

She swatted my arm, making a face at me. "Let me be clear, Isabella Swan: if I ask you to marry me, it will _not_ be while I'm making you a mermaid tail out of sand for shits and giggles. It's going to be special, damn it, and I would expect the same if _you_ asked _me_ to marry _you._"

"Okay, okay, I've got it," I replied, putting up my hands in surrender. "If we're talking hypotheticals then...we're about to start a war with the most powerful group of vampires on the planet. We may very well lose. Even if we win, we might not all make it out, and if I'm going to face the very real prospect of death then...then I would really rather not die before I've married you, Alice. Assuming you feel the same."

"Even if it's not legal?" she asked. "Even if it's _less_ than our names on some official piece of paper, even if it's just a ceremony and some cake?"

"Yes. Even then," I said quietly, fervently. "It doesn't have to be legal to be a celebration of our love. Someday, before this life ends, I want to stand up in front of everyone and tell the world that I'm yours, and you're mine, and that's the way it's going to be until the end of our days. I know I was scared of moving too fast when we first met, but I'm not scared anymore. Whenever you're ready to take the plunge, I'll be ready, too. You just let me know."

Alice smiled at me, then leaned in to kiss me sweetly. "Let me think about it for a little while, okay, Bella?"

"Okay," I agreed, smiling back at her. Her grin widened, and she went back to work, shaping the sand she'd gathered into a fish tail and beginning to draw scales and decorate it with shells.

* * *

The days flew by, filled with visits to local restaurants and landmarks and plenty of quality time with mom, my girlfriend and my friends. We didn't see much of Phil, busy as he was, though he did end up spending a little extra time with us when a couple of his games were rained out, and we finally got to take in a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game around the start of the holiday weekend. I've never been that invested in baseball, but it was easy to cheer Phil and his team on as they beat the visiting team 4-1.

Our last day in Jacksonville was the Fourth of July, and after an early dinner we braved the crowds along the Riverwalk to watch the fireworks. Alice had brought one of her sketchbooks with her for our evening out, but wouldn't even tell me why, though I could make a guess or two. At long last, as I nestled in between her and my mother, waiting for the show to start, she pulled it out of her bag, passing it over to me.

"Renée? Bella? I want to show you something," she said, sounding almost shy. "Go on, baby, open it up."

Mom leaned in to look as I opened the cover and began to move, slowly, through the pages. Alice had filled the book with beautifully colored sketches of moment after a moment from our trip, starting on the plane with me listening, red-faced, as my mother spoke, Alice herself listening with an endlessly amused grin. There was mom standing in the doorway of my bedroom, watching with a tender smile as I took it all in. Mom and I on the beach, me laying in the sand under the mermaid tail Alice had sculpted for me, mom watching and listening as I gestured excitedly and went on about the big cats at the zoo, a group of us pondering a painting at the museum, all of us seated in the bleachers cheering on Phil, mom in her roller derby gear before the bout the next day. There were pictures of me with Alice, with Rosalie, with Rosalie and Emmett, and last of all a portrait of my mother and me on the couch at her house, mom's arm around me as she gently kissed the top of my head and I smiled at her.

"Alice," mom breathed, shaking her head in wonder. "You drew all this from memory?"

"Well...I had live reference for some of it. I know you saw me sketching more than once," she replied, her cheeks darkening slightly as she ducked her head. "But a lot of it was from memory, or from my imagination."

"She has an amazing eye for detail," I added proudly, slinging my arm around Alice's shoulders and pulling her close.

"This is beautiful. All of it, it's - incredible, Alice, thank you. Oh!" Mom leaned back, brushing tears from her eyes. "Oh, I can _not_ cry on your art."

"It's yours. The whole book, I drew it because - I know we couldn't get photos of every last little moment. I wanted you to have a keepsake of our time together."

"Oh, no, you girls should take it, don't you want something to remember this trip by, too?" mom protested.

I smiled, shaking my head. "We aren't going to forget you. Or any of this, believe me. Besides, we have copies of the photos we did take."

"And when I have time I'll do something more elaborate. A proper portrait, something you can frame," Alice added. "But I really do want you to take this for now. Please, it would mean a lot to me."

"Oh - all right. How can I refuse when you put it like that?" mom said, with a small laugh, before reaching into her purse and taking out her digital camera. "But I want one last photo with you. Both my sweet girls. Ah - Rosalie, dear, would you mind?"

Rose took the camera, stepping away. "Not at all. Smile, you three."

Mom put her arms around both of us, beaming happily, as Alice and I smiled to match, waiting for that last perfect moment to be captured forever. A part of me couldn't help wondering how many moments like this we could hope for - but I shoved it aside. It didn't matter, couldn't matter, not now.

Now was all we ever had.


	3. Dreams and Wishes

The next morning, mom drove us to the train station to see us off to Orlando. After spending the week with us, she was on friendly enough terms to hug all of us goodbye, but she reserved her tightest and most lingering embraces for Alice and me.

"Call me when you check in at your hotel, all right?" she murmured into my ear. "And let me know when you get back to Forks and - oh, Bella, I want you e-mailing me every day, all right?"

"I will, mom. You'll get sick of it," I promised. "We've got to go. I love you."

"I love you, too, my darling girl," she replied, pulling back to smile at me, though tears lingered in her eyes. My own vision blurred slightly as well, and I wiped at my face. "Goodbye, Bella. I'll talk to you soon. You take care of that girlfriend of yours. Alice, you look after my daughter."

Alice grinned, glancing between the pair of us. "Always."

"Good." Mom sniffed, and nodded, stepping back. "Go, you two, go before you miss your train. Give my love to Carlisle and Esme."

"We will. Bye, mom," I agreed, giving her a little wave as we hauled our luggage away, heading for the doors to the platform. We kept our eyes on one another for a long, lingering moment, and then the flow of passengers and staff cut us off, and she was gone from my sight.

* * *

We quietly changed our documents once we were on the train and no one was paying us much mind, and I felt a small thrill at the minor intrigue. I had never had a fake ID before, as far as I could recall - the Cullens all used carefully constructed false identities, with forged documents to go along with the lives they'd constructed, but to me, it was still a novelty. We hadn't bothered changing any names, just Social Security, driver's license and passport numbers, all of them matching entries that the family's friend Mr. Jenks, or someone working for them, had inserted into the relevant databases.

The upshot was that I was now carrying documents in my purse that said I was 25, same as the others, and every one of them would pass even a close inspection. I was technically breaking more than a few laws, given my actual, legal age, but I couldn't say I felt too bad about it. Regardless of the holes in my memory, I had the life experience of a thirtysomething, Callie said I was more like a fortysomething, and either way I was the baby of this group. Being a hybrid meant I was full-grown and could easily pass for a woman in her twenties. According to my genuine, entirely legal birth certificate, I might have been seventeen, and I might have enjoyed playing the child from time to time, but I didn't really feel like a teenager. I wasn't sure I knew _what_ that felt like anymore.

We arrived at the station down in Orlando after a three-hour ride and made our way over to the car rental place where Rosalie had, naturally, reserved a cherry-red convertible. From there, it wasn't long at all before we were driving under the massive sign welcoming us to Walt Disney World, and soon after that, we were pulling into the lot at the Grand Floridian.

I looked around the enormous lobby as Rosalie checked us in, admiring the chandelier that hung over it all, breathing in the fresh scents of aloe, clover and apples. Alice stood by my side, watching with a charmed little smile as I basked, and I laughed sheepishly when I saw her staring. "I always wanted to stay here."

"I know, you've said," she replied, lips quirking in amusement.

I sobered a little at that, sighing. "I feel like I'm being selfish. Dragging you all to a theme park while everyone else is already on mission."

"First of all, you didn't drag us anywhere. I wouldn't have planned this trip if I didn't want to come, and Rosalie and Emmett wouldn't be tagging along if they weren't interested," Alice said firmly. "All of us were turned before Disneyland was built, let alone this place, and until now...we wouldn't exactly have been able to blend in visiting California or Florida, and the crowds would have been a lot to deal with. So this is a new and welcome experience for us. We can be young and carefree, just for a couple weeks. We can act like the teenagers...or twentysomethings...we pretend to be. Pose with princesses and gorge ourselves on treats and ride the roller coasters. You're not the only one who's going to enjoy this, so don't act like you're burdening us."

I gave her a small smile. "I guess it _has_ been hard to get Emmett to stop talking about Space Mountain."

"Ugh! Thank God I peeked ahead and confirmed he'll be able to fit on all the rides, I don't think we'd ever hear the end of it otherwise." She huffed adorably and I laughed as I put my arms around her, kissing the top of her head. "Is it really everything he's hoping it'll be?"

"It's a classic for a reason, I'm sure he'll love it," I told her. "But I'll be honest, I like the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster a little better. You can't beat Space Mountain's theming, but Rock 'n' Roller is a wilder ride. We'll ride all of them, though, don't worry, you'll get to make up your own mind."

Alice turned a slight moue on me. "Oh, good."

I laughed again. "What was the other thing?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. The other thing is just this: if you think the others aren't taking any opportunities to indulge, you're deluding yourself. Your father and his wife _are_ on their honeymoon, after all. Carlisle and Esme are making a stop at the tropical island he _named_ for her, Tanya and Irina will definitely be picking up men and hitting nightclubs, and Jasper and Jessamine are sure to find diversions of their own. Contacting the others...it ultimately won't take up the entire summer. And we all know what we're in for, Bella. We all know rest and relaxation may be hard to come by this time next year."

I sighed, looking away, and she touched my chin with one finger, turning me back until I was looking into her eyes. "_Don't_ go on about being selfish again, Bella Swan. We're not just fighting this war because you got it in your head to start a personal crusade against the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. Eleazar confirmed what you'd said, and all of us had our suspicions, at the least. We wouldn't have voted to go to war if we were satisfied with the status quo. Do _not_ take the weight of the world on your shoulders. Your posture is bad enough as it is."

Though my mind was still unsettled, I couldn't help a slight snicker at that. She smiled up at me, and I pulled her close in response. "Okay. You're right."

"I usually am."

"Impertinent little minx," I whispered, and she giggled. "I'll try not to let it bother me. No borrowing trouble that hasn't yet come."

"Good." She leaned up and kissed the tip of my nose.

Rosalie and Emmett came back over to us then, and Rose tugged at my hand, sliding some kind of purple plastic band on my wrist and snapping it closed. I stared at it in confusion, raising my arm. "Uh, what's this now?"

"It's _magic_, Bella," Emmett proclaimed, waving his hand dramatically. I could see he was wearing the same band in green.

"They're MagicBands, apparently," Rose added. Her band was in red. "They're room keys, park passes, they'll even use the card we linked to pay for shit."

"Um...I...this is new," I replied, frowning.

Alice snapped her yellow band into place around her wrist. "Hmm. It does seem quite the novelty. But I suppose it makes it easier to part visitors from their money."

I shook my head. "No, I mean - I don't think they should have these yet."

Alice, Rosalie and Emmett exchanged a look. Rose was the one to speak. "Bella, are you all right?"

I could feel a slight tingle at my temples, almost like a headache waiting to come on, but I shut my eyes and shook it off. "I'm fine. It's - I probably misremembered. It's not like I recall everything about...before. Let's just settle into our rooms so we can hit the park."

"Okay, baby," Alice said softly, slotting in next to me, slipping her arm around my waist. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure," I replied, kissing her hair. "Let the magic commence."

* * *

We dropped our bags off, and spent just a little time admiring our elegantly appointed rooms before freshening up and going to meet up at the monorail. I'd changed out of the clothes I wore on the train, switching to an Ariel-inspired outfit, a flared blue skirt paired with a filmy pale blue shirt and a black top with a low sweetheart neckline, topping it all off with a big blue bow in my hair. Alice had decided to dress up as well, wearing a short, flirty white sundress patterned with seashells and anchors accented by a red sash.

Predictably, we had to wait a little while for the others to turn up. When they did, Rosalie was in a red knit tank and white shorts, her eyebrows rising as she took us in. She was _not_ walking arm in arm with Emmett, who was wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt with luridly covered Mickey Mouse symbols peeking between the fronds and grinning widely from beneath the brim of a Goofy hat.

"I thought you weren't allowed to wear costumes in the parks as an adult," Rose remarked.

"I'm not! It's Disney Bounding. Paying tribute to characters with colors and shapes without actually wearing costumes," I said, beaming.

"I see. Alice's idea?"

"Nope," Alice said, hanging off my arm and popping the 'p'. "All Bella. Apparently it's something she's done before."

I grinned. "Half the fun of planning a Disney trip is figuring out which characters you want to honor and what you're going to wear. At least that's half the fun of it for _me_. The Little Mermaid, of course, is an obvious first choice, but I packed some Belle and Maleficent looks, too."

"Oh God," Rose muttered, glancing between us. "The pixie's finally done it. She's assimilated you. There are _two_ of you now."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm thrilled that Bella's finally taking an interest in fashion," Alice retorted, turning to kiss my cheek.

"It's something that's - wait, finally?" I asked.

"I've seen the flannel, sweetheart."

"We've all seen the flannel, and one day we're going to burn it all," Rosalie agreed.

I gasped. "Don't you dare! It's _comfortable_. And _warm._"

"Well, I think you look great," Emmett told me.

"Aw, thanks, buddy. Your outfit is, uh - colorful. Nice hat. How exactly did you get your hands on...all this?"

Rose groaned. "Please don't encourage him."

"Hotel gift shop!" Emmett proclaimed. "It was awesome! I can't believe they had this in my size!"

"I don't know him anymore. I'm a lesbian now," Rosalie announced flatly, though I could see just a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. "Eleanor is the only one for me."

Emmett smirked, giving her a loud snort. "Please, Ellie would be all over this and you know it. You're just sorry you didn't get that Donald hat."

"I told you I didn't _want_ a stupid Donald Duck hat," she returned.

"How can you not want that hat? The brim squeaked, Rose! _The brim squeaked._"

Rosalie turned to us, hands clasped in desperation. "Welcome me to your tribe. Teach me your ways. At least you two aren't wearing funny cartoons on your heads."

I laughed softly. "Are we still talking about the lesbian tribe or are we on some kind of fashion tribe now?"

"...both."

Giggling again, I let go of Alice and took Rosalie's arm. "We'll have you dressing almost but not quite like Aurora in no time."

Rose sighed. "I suppose it could be worse."

"_The brim squeaks, Rose, how can you not want that._"

* * *

After a bit of a wait and a lot more bickering, we finally made it onto the monorail. Emmett and I were grinning like little kids the whole way, and even Rosalie smiled as the Magic Kingdom came into view, the towers of Cinderella Castle shining in the distance beneath a clear blue sky. The summer crowds were horrific, but somehow it didn't bother me as we made our way through the turnstiles and I took Alice by the hand, leading her onto Main Street.

"Wow," she breathed, taking it all in. "...okay. I'll admit it sure is pretty."

"Just walking into the park feels like...coming home," I replied, savoring the moment. "I love this view. All the shops, the windows, the avenue leading all the way up to the castle…"

"Oh, and the smells! God, I can smell...fresh baked cookies, and chocolate, and hot dogs, and…" Alice trailed off, her nose wrinkling. "...horse...shit…"

"Uhhhh, yeah. Horse-drawn trolley. They kind of do that," I admitted, with a little laugh. "Didn't take hybrid noses into account. Try not to let it bother you."

She made a face. "...I'll _try_. So. Where to first?"

"Space Mountain!" Emmett boomed from behind us as we walked up the street.

"_Not_ Space Mountain!" I fired back at once. "There are _traditions_. First we ride the Haunted Mansion, then we go get Dole Whip floats and get in line for the Tiki Room."

"The singing bird show, Bells? Why would we do that when there is a _roller coaster_ over, uh...there?" He looked at the map, then turned and pointed.

"There's going to be plenty of time for roller coasters, and we'll be near Big Thunder when we're done anyway."

"But _space_, Bella. _Space ride._"

I looked to Alice for support, and she giggled, smiling up at me. "Remember at the hotel, when you asked me if you were being selfish?"

"_Tradition_," I groaned. "Besides, the Haunted Mansion is the best ride ever."

"_Bella. There is a roller coaster that takes you to space._"

"I stand by it! Anyway, you'll thank me when you're sipping on a Dole Whip float," I told him. "We can ride every roller coaster in the park afterward. Please?"

I turned my best puppy dog eyes on him, and he sighed dramatically. "Do you _promise_?"

"Cross my heart," I assured him, gesturing accordingly at my chest.

"We can ride every roller coaster until six," Alice amended.

I glanced back at her. "What's at six?"

"That's when we need to go to Ariel's Grotto. I got those FastPass things. I _know_ you're not going to miss a chance to hang with the Little Mermaid."

I smiled, shaking my head. "You know me too well. That _is_ another one of the traditions. But…" The world seemed to blur, just slightly. "Wait. Ariel's Grotto?"

"Yes, that would be where you'd generally find Ariel, I imagine," Alice said slowly, beginning to frown. "Bella, are all you all right?"

"I - I need to sit down for a minute." The world was too bright, all of a sudden. Tendrils of light were bleeding in at the edges of my vision, and the park seemed to be shaking apart around me, my vision splitting and blurring further. Alice and Rosalie helped me to a bench, and I dropped heavily into it, clutching my head in my hands, staring at the ground and then shutting my eyes tightly. "Sorry. Sorry, I just…"

"Shh, baby, it's okay. Emmett, get her some water," Alice ordered, rubbing her hand in slow circles on my back. The contact helped, made me feel more grounded. My head wasn't spinning quite so fast anymore. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"Just...more things that shouldn't be here, not...now. I can't put my finger on it but it's not right. I - I don't know what the problem is."

"Is it possible you're just running into holes in your memory and it's stressing you out?" Rose asked quietly.

"...maybe." I shook my head again to clear it. "Maybe that's all it is."

I looked over at Alice. Her lips were pursed in concern, her green eyes searching my face. "Maybe...maybe we should go back to the hotel."

I could hear just a hint of disappointment in her voice, as much as she tried to hide it. I wasn't sure what that was about, but whatever the reason, I couldn't bear to let her down. I gave her a small smile and took her hand, squeezing gently. "No. It's fine, I'm fine now. And we're _here_. We have to at least ride the Haunted Mansion or we'll be eternally cursed."

She laughed a little, and my smile widened. "Is that how it works?"

"Yep. You have to ride it first _and_ last or _a ghost will follow you home_," I intoned, trying to sound as spooky and dramatic as possible.

"You and your traditions," Alice said with a sigh. Her smile faded, and she locked eyes with me. "Are you _sure_ you're up for this?"

"I'm feeling better. Really. Let's just ride the Haunted Mansion, anyway, and - see how I feel after that. Okay?" I could see the hesitation in her face, and I squeezed her hand again, smiling reassuringly. "Look, take a look ahead. Do you see any more episodes in the next few hours?"

Alice bit her lip, but nodded, shutting her eyes and concentrating. Emmett came back as she was searching the future, sliding a cold water bottle into my hand and handing another to Rose before cracking open a third and downing half of it in one swig. The bottle in his hand crackled loudly as he half-crushed it, startling Alice back to the present.

"Emmett!" Rose hissed, swatting his arm.

"Ow! Whaaaaat?"

"It's okay," Alice said, letting out a long breath. "No, I didn't see any more episodes. I mean, that doesn't mean they won't happen - they came on so suddenly..._promise_ me you will tell me if you feel even the _slightest_ bit off."

"I will. Baby, I promise," I told her, reaching up to cup her face in both my hands. "You've just...obviously made plans, and I'd hate to ruin them."

"I can make new plans. I _can't_ stand the thought of watching you suffer." She sighed, leaning in to rest her forehead against mine. "But all right. If you're sure."

"I'm sure," I echoed, looking over to Rosalie and Emmett as we both stood. "You guys good to go?"

"Yeah. Hey, I'll even let you pick the first ride. Space Mountain, right?" Emmett joked. Rose snorted, and I grinned, reaching out to tug at his arm.

"Nice try! You were so close with that one. Come on, you big lug."

* * *

There was a big, stupid grin on my face the second we walked through the doors into the Haunted Mansion's parlor, and it only got bigger when Alice screamed as the lightning flashed and the lights went out in the stretching gallery. I started to suspect almost immediately that she was playing up her terror for the sake of snuggles, but played along until we passed into the seance room and she let out one last scream at Madame Leota's floating head before falling into a soft fit of giggles.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to scream at _every_ ghost," I whispered, squeezing her close. "Very convincing, though, have you considered trying out for horror movies?"

"What? I'm completely terrified! Hold me," Alice gasped melodramatically, resting her head against my shoulder, her words betrayed by a quiet snicker.

"I _was_ going to do that anyway."

"Mmm. Good. I'm going to need a lot of reassurance. Oh! That's clever," she remarked, leaning forward a little to take in the ghosts in the ballroom as we swept through the gallery above. She watched them for a couple more seconds before sitting back and looking at me in the dark. "...so. You ever made out in the Haunted Mansion?"

"They can see us, and they _will_ stop the ride," I told her, smirking as she pouted. "Plus I never took a date here before. So no. I used to cling to my mom...my other mom, I mean...the whole way through this place, though, when I was a kid."

"Awwww. Why did you go on this ride if you were so scared?"

"I wasn't scared of everything here. I don't know, I've always been fascinated by the supernatural. I used to devour ghost stories as a kid, pore over myths and legends about vampires and werewolves and witches...I wanted to believe there was magic in the world. Real magic. Even when the stories scared me, left me with nightmares so bad that my parents had to ban ghost stories from our house so I'd actually get some sleep...the idea that there was nothing hiding in the shadows, nothing beyond the world I could see, was scarier than any monster I could think of."

"I see," Alice murmured, as we drifted along into the attic, the steady beat of the ghostly bride's heart filling the air. Suddenly, a gruesome mannequin popped up from behind a pile of boxes, screaming at us, and this time she shrieked in earnest, jumping in her seat and landing halfway in my lap. I stared at her for a moment before I burst out laughing, and she swatted my arm lightly. "Oh, hush."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, just - big bad psychic vampire couldn't see a screaming dummy up ahead."

"I wasn't looking!"

"They're _timed_, Alice, it only _seems_ random."

"_I wasn't looking!_"

She pouted at me until my laughter subsided, and I turned a teasing pout on her in return, pulling her into my arms and kissing the top of her head. "Forgive me?"

"Hmph." She was silent for another moment as we passed the grinning, homicidal bride and our buggy turned to fall backwards through the attic window. "So now you live in a world where all this stuff is real. Do you like it better than your old one?"

"It has its upsides and its downsides. _You_ are definitely one of the upsides," I replied, kissing her cheek, and she smiled despite herself. "Anyway, it's not like the old world was completely without magic. And I don't know if _all_ this stuff is real here. Have you ever seen a ghost?"

"No...I can't say I have," Alice replied, looking up at me. "What about you? Any real ghost stories to go with the ones that used to give you nightmares?"

"Well...I've only _seen_ a ghost once or twice. Or - something that might have been one. It could have been a trick of the light," I said slowly. "But I lived in a haunted house as a teenager."

She sat up straight, eyes widening as she looked back at me. "What? You're joking."

"I'm not. There was scratching in the walls, every night. I had...weird, terrible dreams. There were parts of the house that terrified me for no clear reason. And one time there was something...wearing my face in the mirror," I said, giving a little shudder. "That's the only way I can describe it. It moved on its own, and its eyes were pitch black, and when it realized I'd noticed it...it gave me the most ghastly grin I've ever seen."

"That must have been terrifying," Alice said softly, watching me.

"Yeah. It was. And it felt like - everything was changing around the same time. My mind was starting to open to things I'd never really considered. I'd started to realize I didn't really believe in the religion I was raised with, and I was starting to - to feel things. Not just whatever was in that house. The whole world had started to come alive for me. It was like I could feel the pulse of the Earth, the ebb and flow of life and energy all around me. I started studying witchcraft seriously in that house. I wanted a way to understand and control what I was feeling, to - fight back, I guess. I wanted to be able to keep myself and my loved ones safe, to bind and banish evil forces. From what Callie's told us, I guess it took, in the end."

"Did you ever figure out how to do it? Banish whatever was in that house?"

"That house? No. Whatever was there...it was like it was rooted too deep. I could ward against the worst of it, but I wasn't able to cast the spirits out completely. Maybe I just wasn't ready back then. Eventually we just - moved out. I don't know what happened to that place after we left, but I had a little more luck binding and banishing later on. Or at least I think I did. It's not like I remember doing anything I could prove objectively, but Callie seems pretty sure I was hot shit."

Alice fell into a thoughtful silence for a moment, looking around at the figures singing and cavorting in the graveyard. "So...do you think there are any ghosts hanging around _this_ world?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but the narration abruptly cut back in as we swept out of the graveyard and into a large tomb, and I laughed as I heard the Ghost Host speaking.

"Ahhh..._there_ you are. And just in time! There's a little matter I forgot to mention..._beware of hitchhiking ghosts!_" We swept past a bank of mirrors, a playful ghost appearing in the buggy between us as we moved toward the end of the ride. "They have selected you to fill our quota, and they'll haunt you until you return! Now _I_ will raise the safety bar...and a _ghost will follow you home!_"

The host descended into ghoulish laughter, and I shook my head, smiling and tucking Alice's arm in mine. "I think the world is stranger than either of us could have predicted. Even you. And I think there's _something_ after death. We both brushed up against it. So...yes. But if we have to meet any, let's hope they're a little more Haunted Mansion and a little less haunted house, shall we?"

Alice gave me a crooked grin as the safety bar rose and we stepped onto the moving walkway. "As long as you promise to banish any ghosts that _do_ follow us home."

I smiled wistfully back at her, taking a deep breath, quietly reaching out with my mind yet again to try and feel the ebb and flow of magic all around us. Sometimes I could swear I almost had it, that I could taste just a little of the sensation I remembered...but I still wasn't quite there. And maybe it was best if I didn't push it.

"Well," I murmured at last. "I'll do my best."

* * *

The long summer afternoon stretched on into evening, until at last six o'clock rolled around and we made our way over to Fantasyland and Ariel's Grotto. I was doing my best to forget the disorientation I'd felt earlier, to just let things happen as they were meant to happen, and it largely seemed to be working, but I could still feel butterflies beating against the walls of my stomach. Alice squeezed my hand and smiled up at me as we walked up to the entrance, scanning our bands. Her face seemed like a mirror of my own anxieties, her smile tense and frayed at the edges. All I could do was squeeze back and try to look reassuring.

A cool breeze flowed over us as we walked through the artificial rock tunnel, finally turning a corner and arriving in the main room, where Ariel sat in her fish tail and seashell bra on a sculpted bench of stones and seashells, giant fronds of seaweed behind and around her. A photographer stood to one side, camera at the ready, and another attendant welcomed us and guided Alice and me to the bench.

"Hello! Oh, I love your outfit!" Ariel exclaimed, turning to beam at me and slinging an arm around my shoulders. "We're practically twins! ...oh, no, you talk, don't you? You haven't let any sea witches take your voice?"

I laughed softly. "No, no sea witches. I'm fine."

"Good. You have to be careful, they can be very treacherous. Oh, I like your dress, too. That sash sets it off so nicely," she added, turning to Alice. "You must really love the sea."

"Not as much as _this_ one, but it's definitely grown on me," Alice agreed, gesturing toward me. "Bella's the one who's mad for mermaids."

"Bella, what a wonderful name." Ariel flashed me a grin. "Have you met many mermaids before?"

"I have to say you're the first," I said, shaking my head, unable to stop smiling.

"Oh, well, I'm honored! My name is Ariel - and I didn't catch yours?"

Alice was staring like I was the only person in the world - let alone the room - but she came back to herself at the question. "Oh, I'm Alice. Lovely to meet you."

"Alice! I swear I've heard that name before. But the pleasure is all mine. And are you princesses here with your princes?"

"No, um…" I felt my cheeks heat a little, and I hesitated briefly. Lauren Mallory's hateful face flashed before my eyes, and there was something else, some distant memory of something unpleasant that had happened to me _here_, once upon a time. But something else, half-remembered, settled over me like a blanket, a feeling of comfort and peace, and I grabbed hold of it, clinging to it and drawing on the strength it offered. "Alice here is...she's my princess."

"Oh. Oh!" Ariel looked briefly surprised, but then she beamed again and squeezed my shoulders. "How wonderful! Well, ladies, shall we sit for a portrait?"

"Of course," I agreed, relieved, and we turned to face the photographer, who snapped away as we first smiled, then switched to exaggerated fish faces at Ariel's suggestion. All too soon, the moment was over, and Alice hopped off the bench, heading back to Emmett and Rosalie. Ariel stopped me as I started to get up, though, and pulled me into a hug.

"I hope you have a wonderful time here, all right? I really do," she said softly.

"I will. It's already been great," I agreed.

"Good. I'm glad."

She let me go, and I was just starting to stand when I heard a couple soft gasps behind me. Ariel gasped as well, glancing around me and putting a hand over her mouth, her eyes flaring wide for a second. Then, beginning to smile once more, she gestured with her whole hand, looking back at me. "Excuse me, but...I think your princess wants to ask you something."

My whole body seemed to thrum with anticipation. I could feel my own eyes widening involuntarily, and I had to force myself to turn at human speed, so slow it was almost painful. Sure enough, Alice was down on one knee, gazing up at me, holding a little velvet box open to display a silvery ring rendered in elaborate filigree, with a round, deep purple gem in the center and tiny blue and green gems accenting the curls along the band. Rosalie and Emmett were grinning behind her, and the cast member who'd welcomed us to Ariel's Grotto beamed while the photographer snapped pictures wildly.

"Alice," I breathed, almost too quietly for human ears to hear.

"Bella," she replied, her green eyes shining, her smiling lips trembling just a little as she spoke. She seemed uncertain for the first time in months, as though for once she had no idea what I was going to say or do, as though she couldn't have predicted my response even without psychic powers. "I loved you from the moment I saw you, and - every moment from that one on, it's felt like I've been burning in anticipation of _this_ moment. Some days it feels like my life only truly began when you let me in, when you finally let me be part of your world."

I giggled, despite myself, even as I saw Rosalie biting her lip to suppress a groan. Alice's eyes twinkled and she grinned shamelessly as she continued. "We have been through so much together, and we have so much still ahead, and I can't imagine doing any of it without you. You are my true love and my happily ever after, and I know we can't make it completely official but - I want to seal this in our hearts. I want to celebrate what we are to one another in front of everyone we love. So, Isabella Marie Swan, my heart, my soul, my sunshine, my ridiculous mermaid princess...will you marry me?"

Tears ran down my cheeks, and I tried to open my mouth, but my throat felt empty of words, my brain unable to string together a coherent sentence. At last, I shut my mouth again and nodded vigorously, dropping to my knees, reaching out for her. She slid the ring onto my finger and fumbled the box, letting it drop to the floor as our fingers intertwined, the photographer continuing to move about and snap photos of the pair of us. She pulled me to my feet and we met in a fierce, crushing kiss, and our small audience applauded, and then suddenly Rosalie's arms were around me and Emmett was enclosing us all in a fierce bear hug, and even though I still couldn't speak, it was all simply...perfect.

* * *

"Did you really think there was a chance I would say no?" I asked her, hours later, after we'd gone back to our hotel room and eventually dressed for dinner. We were both in fine dress as we walked arm-in-arm to the restaurant, she in a delicate yellow cream satin number while I was wearing an aqua silk gown that clung to my curves.

She looked up at me through her lashes, smiling shyly. "There's always a _chance_. You're not _entirely_ predictable. And it would have taken all the thrill out of it if I'd peeked."

"So you didn't. You really didn't? Then how did you know-"

"Your perfect proposal?" she finished, giggling and snuggling close. "You'll notice I said 'not entirely predictable,' Bella, not '_un_predictable'."

I nudged her playfully with my hip, pouting at her. "Oh, nice."

"More importantly, I listen when you talk. Haven't you noticed?" Alice returned, looking back up at me, her face aglow and her smile genuine. "I'm always listening to you."

"Oh," I said again, much more softly, more reverently. I leaned down to kiss her, and she kissed me back for a moment, waiting until we came up for air to continue.

"Case in point, the ring. No diamonds, because the diamond industry is a complete racket and you don't like them anyway. Purple sapphire because purple is your favorite color, and a platinum ring because you prefer silvery hues to gold," she said briskly. "Blue sapphires and emeralds for your eyes and mine, plus sapphire is your new birthstone and emerald was your old one. And filigree, of course, because you prefer jewelry that's visually interesting."

I flashed her a grin. "You know me so well."

"I do," she agreed, leaning up and kissing me on the cheek. "Of course, I should probably have an engagement ring too."

"You should," I agreed, laughing softly as she looked up at me expectantly. "Let's see. Platinum filigree for your band, too, because of course you want to match, which also means a purple sapphire for the centerpiece, accented with blue sapphires, as close to the hue of my eyes as we can get."

She sighed, nestling close again. "I do love your eyes."

"You do. I've noticed. And you loved my old ones, too, which means chocolate sapphires as well. Thank God it's a versatile gemstone. You can be reminded of me every time you look at your ring, no matter where I am or what I'm doing," I added softly, kissing her hair. "And tiny citrines accenting the band, because yellow is your favorite color, but you don't like to overuse it, and it symbolizes the first time we kissed, when we were laying under a sky full of stars. Oh! Plus the swirls and the yellow combined evoke Van Gogh, and you love the Impressionists. So...did I pass?"

She turned to face me, eyeing me for a moment with a neutral expression, then sighed once more and melted back into my arms, her lips meeting mine. "Yeah. Yeah, that'll do it."

I kissed her back eagerly, holding her close, and laughing again when we finally parted, slowly shaking my head. "Mind you, I have no idea where to start getting a custom engagement ring made."

"Don't worry, I can point you in the right direction, and Rosalie can help you with the specifics," she assured me, settling in beside me once more. She smiled broadly as we reached the restaurant and the host greeted us. "Good evening. Cullen, party of two."

"Ah - yes, of course, you're in Queen Victoria's Room," he replied, glancing at his list. "This way, please."

Soon we were seated at a table covered with a white cloth in a room that felt more like a Victorian parlor than anything, spacious but intimate, with a portrait of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert hanging above a fireplace against one wall. A bouquet of fresh, vividly red roses had been placed at our table, and a bottle of champagne on ice awaited us. I shook my head slowly as I looked around the room, taking it all in.

"Okay," I said at last, once we were alone. "Clearly I should have been questioning your plans a little more thoroughly."

"I'm glad you didn't. I was terrified you or I would spoil the surprise somehow," Alice said, toying with her glass. "Honestly, I...I was on the fence about asking you so soon. I had the ring, I made the plans, but I wasn't _sure_ I was going to go through with it until Jacksonville. If you hadn't said you were ready, I'm not sure what I would have done."

"Oh. Wow, well...I'm really glad we had that talk, then." I gave her a sheepish grin. "I should have told you sooner. I really should have, it's just that all this has happened so fast and...I know we've both had our issues with that. I didn't want to scare you."

She took my hand, smiling back at me. "_Had_ our issues. Emphasis on the past tense. I think...I hope...we're well past any reservations we might have had by now."

"I think so, too. Or hope so. Both, I guess," I replied, squeezing her fingers. I looked over at the champagne sparkling away in my glass, thinking for a moment, then lifted the flute in a toast. "To living happily ever after, until the end of our days."

"Hopefully a long time from now," Alice replied, clinking her glass against mine and taking a sip.

"Amen, hallelujah and so say we all." I smiled reflexively at the taste of the champagne, the sensation of the bubbly as it passed away and into my throat. "So. Be honest. How long have you had the ring?"

She smiled coyly. "Had it? Only for a couple weeks. It arrived just a few days before we left."

"Mm-hm. And when did you _order_ it?"

"Oh...as soon as we got back from Denali. I'd started giving it thought around Valentine's Day, but I only worked out the final details once we woke up. And, well...I'd _hoped_ we were building something unbreakable, but…" She bit her lip, looking down briefly. "It was only after we changed, after we shared that dream, that I really felt sure what we were to one another. I'm sorry, it's not that I didn't trust you, it's just…"

"I get it," I told her softly, shifting to meet her eyes. "Hey. Alice. I get it, I promise. _I_ wasn't even completely sure until then. I loved you already, I fell for you fast and hard and I hoped it would last, but - I didn't get the magic love at first sight deal. I'm not sure I understood how I _really_ felt until we woke up and I locked eyes with you for the first time as a hybrid. I don't...I don't blame you for doubting me."

Alice squeezed my hand. "I'm not going to do it again. Not ever."

"You don't have to promise that."

"It's not a promise. It's just a fact," she returned, setting her jaw stubbornly. "After everything we've been through, how can we doubt each other - doubt _us_, doubt _this_ \- ever again?"

"I guess we can't," I agreed, with a small smile. "I'm just...sorry for the crap I put you through. You know?"

"I know. But...let's let the past be the past. All right, love?" She raised her glass once more, smiling at me, her dark lashes fluttering prettily over her green eyes. "To the future."

"To the future," I echoed softly, clinking my glass against hers.

* * *

Rose and Emmett left us alone for the next day, allowing us to celebrate as a couple - and not at all coincidentally allowing themselves some alone time as well - but it was inevitable that we'd meet back up again to party. A couple nights after the fact, we hit the clubs at Pleasure Island, and I all but dragged them to my favorite spot, grinning widely as we descended into the main salon of the Adventurers Club and laughing at Rosalie's arched eyebrow and bemused expression.

"So does this make you feel eighteen again?" I teased, as Alice and Emmett went off the bar to get some drinks.

"You - and the Walt Disney Corporation - have some very strange ideas about the Nineteen-Thirties," Rose replied, smirking. "Why is that statue of Zeus fishing?"

"You act like you've never seen a god with a rod before."

"I thought you didn't _want_ to hear the details of my sex life with Emmett."

I swatted her arm at that, then gestured at some open seats, and we made our way over. "Think of it as the Thirties as they could have been. With a healthy shot of corny humor."

"Yes, I imagine there were quite a few shots involved in designing this place," Rose retorted, chuckling when I made a face at her. "It's nice, I just can't say I was ever in a club like this. Not a lot of globe-trotting adventurers living in Rochester - and I was very sheltered, of course. Daddy had a membership at a supper club, but ladies weren't allowed inside, and somehow I doubt they had statues holding fishing rods or talking faces on the walls. I can't say much for the authenticity of this place."

"Authenticity, no. But detail...there's plenty of detail," I said, taking in a deep breath. "This is the park I remember, you know? From when my parents took me here as a kid. There was magic around every corner, hidden just under the surface wherever you cared to look. There was something new to discover on every visit. I don't...remember things very clearly, but I don't think it stayed that way."

"If you're about to suggest we buy the Walt Disney Corporation, Bella, I'm sorry to say I think that might be a strain even on _our_ resources."

"Ha! No. Well - maybe I've entertained an idle fantasy or two, but that's about it."

Rosalie laughed softly, toying with the ends of my hair. "Why is this place so special to you?"

"I don't know. I'm literally not sure I remember all the reasons why, except that...being here. Thinking about this place, all the stories woven into the fabric of it, it makes me feel...connected to the things I've forgotten. The life I left behind," I said slowly. "And - even before I knew magic, had magic, felt it in my bones, I longed for it. This place...it made me feel magical, just for a little while, every time I came. It made me feel like dreams really could come true and people really could live happily ever after. It's...corny as shit, I know."

"Yes. It is. But…" She wrapped her arm around my shoulders, squeezing gently. "I like seeing you this way. How delighted you are with everything, how much it moves you. Even if it's really, _really_ corny. And I'm glad we could be here to share it with you."

"I'm glad you're here, too. Sharing this with you and Emmett and Alice - especially with the proposal - it's meant more than I can say," I replied, looking back at her and giving her a crooked smile, then taking a deep breath. I glanced over at the bar, briefly, catching Alice's eye as she waited for our drinks, and she beamed back at me, nodding. Before Rose could turn her head, I shifted my attention back to her.

"Rosalie, um...will you be my maid of honor?"

Rose's eyes widened, and she brought her hand halfway to her chest. "Me? Bella, I thought - I was sure you were going to ask Callie, and...I mean, I understand, of course, you've known her much longer than you've known me…"

"That's - true, even if I don't remember it all, but...Alice and I already talked about it. We want Callie to officiate," I told her. "Alice isn't especially religious, and I'm...not Christian. I love Carlisle, but I don't want even a halfway Christian ceremony, and this way he can be on hand to give Alice away. Callie will know how to lead a pagan wedding."

"So...I'm your second choice?"

"No. No, of course not, Rose, I - God, if I had to have two maids of honor, I still would have made it work. You and Callie, you're both my sisters. You both mean everything to me. Please, will you just say yes?"

Rosalie cracked a smile at last, starting to nod, and if I wouldn't know any better I would have said her eyes were a little misty as she pulled me in for a hug. "Yes. Of course it's yes, I'll be your maid of honor, Bells. Just promise me you're not going to stick me in some ugly sack of a dress."

I rolled my eyes, hugging her back, my own vision blurring slightly with tears. "I'm not an idiot, there's no point. You'd just make the sack look awesome."

"You're damn right, but I still have standards."

"No one looks ugly at my wedding, promise," I said firmly, pulling back and wiping at my eyes. "Except me, because I'll definitely be ugly crying the whole time."

"Well, we'll have, what, almost a year to work on your self-control?" Rosalie asked, smiling up at Emmett and taking her glass as he and Alice returned with our drinks. She took a sip, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "No, you're right, it's hopeless."

I smirked at her while Alice settled in beside me. "Jerk."

"Brat."

"Hey," I said, reaching out to grab her free hand and meeting her eyes. "Love you."

Rose let out a long-suffering sigh, but smiled genuinely back at me. "I love you, too, kid."

* * *

The days flew by, as the good ones always do, and before long it was time to pack up and head out once again. I couldn't help looking back wistfully as we pulled out of the lot, and Alice snuggled close in the back seat, her chin against my shoulder.

"We can always come back, you know," she said softly.

"Yeah," I agreed, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips, kissing her fingers. I left the last part unsaid: _if we survive._

"I mean it! We can spend our honeymoon here if you want. Hell, you want to get married in front of Cinderella Castle?"

"If you do that, I might actually disown you," Rosalie interjected from the front, looking back at us. The effect was somewhat undermined by the Donald Duck hat she had finally agreed to wear, to Emmett's unending delight.

I snickered softly, shaking my head. "You think Disney World's going to host a lesbian wedding in this day and age? Gay marriage isn't even legal here yet."

Alice pouted. "Do I need to explain a little concept called capitalism?"

"Let's not throw money at _every_ problem," I returned, kissing her forehead. "Being here with you - all of you - was incredibly special. It really was. But...I want to get married back home. At least this time around. I want to celebrate our love with all our family and friends without flying them all out to a destination wedding. If everything goes well, then...we'll have a lot of chances to renew our vows in a _lot_ of different places. If that's okay with you?"

"Oh...I suppose," Alice sighed, finally relenting, giving me a small smile. "I just want you to feel like a princess, Bella. Have the fairy tale you always wanted."

"I want this to be the wedding of your dreams, too, baby. Or as close as we can get." I smiled back at her and pulled her in close. "Besides. I get to marry you, and we get to build something beautiful together. That's enough of a fairy tale for me. And we're both going to feel like _queens_."

The Magic Kingdom grew smaller and smaller in our mirrors as we drove off under a crystalline blue sky, and Alice was in my arms, and if our story had stopped there, in one perfect moment, I think I could have been content. But we had dark and winding roads left to walk, and storms just past the horizon, and I knew we couldn't just stop now.

The last couple of weeks had been a dream. But now it was time to wake up and go to work.


	4. Though the Darkness

The closer we drew to Mississippi, the more quiet and pensive Alice became. I tried my best to keep her distracted and entertained, to take her mind off things, and she was happy enough to talk about wedding plans or the engagement party we'd throw back in Forks, but every time I let up, even for a moment, she would snap back into a troubled silence.

"We don't have to do this, you know," I said softly, not for the first time, as we browsed the aisles of a camping store in Biloxi, gathering supplies.

"But I do," she replied, just as quietly, turning away from a display of lanterns and looking up at me through her long, dark lashes. "This is the only way I'm going to get answers, Bella. It's the only way I'm ever going to understand where I really came from. Even you don't know everything, you've said so."

"I know enough. Your mother was murdered - somehow your stepmother made that happen. Your father had you committed to an asylum when you wouldn't stop talking about it, and that's where you eventually encountered James. Alice." I took her hands, squeezing her fingers. "I'm here for you. Whatever you want to do, I'll be right there with you. But I can't imagine anything you learn on this trip is going to make you happier. It's not too late to turn around. Are you _sure_ this is what you want to do?"

She shut her eyes, sighing and shaking her head. "If I don't learn the truth - the whole truth - then I'm just going to keep imagining all the terrible possibilities. Once I _know_, I can deal with it. Does that make sense?"

I let out a long breath, looking down at the floor. "Yeah. It does. I just hate to see you suffer."

"Hmmm. And how many times have I said that to you?" she asked, her tone slightly playful, a small smirk on her face. It faded quickly, however, and she glanced away again. "...granted, I can't be sure we'll learn anything truly useful. I saw us finding records at the old asylum, but - I couldn't bring myself to look too closely. Not just yet. And being there is...it's going to stir up a lot of bad memories. I'm going to need you, Bells."

"I'll be there," I promised again. "But I thought you didn't remember the asylum at all. You woke up outside it, right?"

"Right. I don't." She hesitated, biting her lip, not quite able to look me in the eye. "But I told you - when I woke up, I...I didn't know where I was. Who I was. I remembered a name. Alice. That was it. From what you've said, it wasn't even my first name. All I knew was this - this terrible hunger. And there was a cabin nearby…"

"Oh. Oh, Alice - yes, you told me. You found a cabin on the outskirts of a small town, and...you fed on the people inside," I finished. "You weren't in control. You didn't have anyone to help you, you didn't even have your memories or visions to guide you, not yet, and...I know it was a terrible thing, it's not my place to tell you it wasn't, but that wasn't _you_."

"Wasn't it?" Her voice was very small, and it cracked softly, tears glistening in her eyes. "I didn't have my memories, or my visions, or anything else to distract me. I didn't have any of the trappings of the life I've been allowed to build. So...in a way...in that moment, I was _just_ me. Alice the vampire stripped down to her primal essence, hungry and violent and uncaring. And that family, Bella - they weren't the only people I killed. I was _starving_. I didn't know how to stop. It was a small town, and I wiped half of it out in a _night_ just trying to slake that terrible thirst. I _made_ that place a ghost town. That was _me_. And now we're going back there, and I know I _have_ to, I know I need _answers_, but I'm returning to the scene of my most terrible crimes to get them and - how can you even look at me? Honestly?"

I pulled her close, kissing the top of her head, letting her cry into my shoulder. "Oh, Alice. I thought we said we were done doubting each other. I can look at you because - that's not all you are. That's not _who_ you are, that's who you were forced to be in one terrible moment, and it's like I've told Rose, we're more than the worst moments of our lives. We have to be, because otherwise - what's the point? What's the point of ever trying to do better? And you...you have done so much better since. You work so hard every day to be a good person. You're kind, and smart, and funny, and generous, and so damn beautiful it hurts, and you light up any room you're in. I am lucky beyond words to have you, darling. I love you, and I _know_ you, and I'm _not_ telling you to forget the past, but I _am_ telling you to keep using it. Use it to be better. Use it to be the person I know you can be, use it as motivation to bring beautiful things into the world. Despair is a trap. Don't give into it."

"I love you, too, you know," Alice murmured into my shirt, clinging to my sides.

"I know." I kissed her hair again. "My heart."

"My soul," she returned, before pulling back and wiping at her eyes. "Oh...maybe you're right. It's a long shot anyway. We might find documents, but they're not going to tell us the whole story either. Nothing short of a time machine is going to let us understand the past completely."

I blinked as something stirred in the back of my brain, bubbling up to my conscious mind. "No...nothing short of a time machine. Or a vision."

Alice tilted her head, snorting softly. "Right. We just need to find a vampire who has visions of the past - what's that called? Retrocognition?"

"Postcognition, and who's to say we couldn't _make_ one? Alice, your powers already go against the flow of time. Why can't you peek into the past as easily as you look into the future? Hell, it would probably be _easier_ \- the past is settled," I replied, building up steam as I spoke my thoughts aloud. "No decision points to deal with. All the decisions are made, all the deeds are done, you just have to - turn your head and look back."

Her eyes slowly widened. "Do you really think you could do that to my power?"

"If you want me to. I mean, there's no harm in trying - I don't think there's any harm, at least. My power doesn't have a lot of negative side effects these days, not unless I'm turning someone human again. But it's your choice. You might not like everything you see, and...I can see how a power like this would be a burden."

"It might be. But...I already told you. I want to know the truth. The full and genuine truth. That way I can't torture myself with the possibilities," Alice said, setting her jaw and nodding, then holding out her hand. "Let's give it a shot."

I took her hand in both of mine, shutting my eyes and letting my perceptions move into her, into the place where her power lived. I could see her standing at a fork in a shining road, a million new paths branching off ahead, and little motes of light drifted from her fingers now and then, traveling down the paths, exploring the future and all its infinite possibilities. I watched as some roads closed the moment they were touched, and others blossomed into being. I watched the number of paths and their destinations dwindle and grow, moment by moment. It was mesmerizing, and for a little while I was caught up in the spectacle.

But, at last, I remembered what I was here for. My dream-self took Alice's dream-self by the hand, and she smiled up at me, and I grinned back. I leaned in and kissed her brow, and a new light seemed to blossom across her face. I turned her, gently, so she stood perpendicular to the road, able to look forward or back, and I raised one of her hands toward the singular road that stretched out behind us into the past. Fresh motes flew from her fingers, and as they traveled down the path, the past flared into light and color once more, unfolding its mysteries. Embracing Alice's dream-self one last time, I withdrew, and opened my eyes on the present.

"I think that worked," I said softly, my lips curling into a small smile.

Alice's eyes searched mine, and then she let herself go out of focus for a moment, gasping when she came back up. "I saw Jasper and Mina and - it was last week. They were out in the woods with Peter and Charlotte, listening to a baseball game on the radio. I can do it, I can see the past!"

She beamed at me, bouncing on her heels, and I laughed, slinging my arm around her shoulders. "Well, hey, they've found them! That's good news. And better news...we stand a much better chance at unraveling all those mysteries we're about to step into."

"Yeah. Yes. Once we know where to look." She took my hand, squeezing lightly. "_Thank_ you, Bella."

"You know I'll do anything for you," I returned, leaning in to press my forehead against hers. "You never have to thank me. I love you. I just want you to be happy."

"Even so," Alice said, glancing around to be sure no one was watching before leaning up to kiss me. "I love you, too. My little miracle."

"I don't know who you're calling little, short stack," I teased, before grabbing a couple lanterns from the display. "Come on. We'd better go meet up with Emmett and Rosalie before they get it into their heads to 'test out' the tents or something."

Alice smirked, swatting my ass. "That's not such a bad idea, actually."

"Hey! Behave, or I might just bunk with Emmett instead," I scolded, though I'm sure my smile at her improved mood spoiled the effect.

"Oooo, you're making empty threats, you _must_ be mad."

I sighed, lifting my eyes to the heavens. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Hmm...an eternity of wedded bliss?" Alice asked, stepping lightly back over to me and leaning up to kiss my chin.

I looked down, grinning back at her and bumping my hip against hers. "Yeah. Okay. Sounds about right."

* * *

After Alice had insisted on taking charge of our vacation plans, I had turned my attention to researching our next destination. The little town of Bull Bay was landlocked - it was named for the flowering tree, _Magnolia grandiflora_, not a geographical feature. It was nestled among the magnolia trees that had provided the name, once carefully cultivated as the town's main industry, but now grown wild. In 1880, an asylum for the insane was constructed five miles outside of town, built according to the Kirkbride Plan, the wards spreading out behind the main building like massive bat wings. Just forty years later, the town was beset by a tragic massacre which was ultimately blamed on "escaped lunatics," according to contemporary press. The Bull Bay Insane Asylum was shuttered within the year, but the people of the town still abandoned the place in droves. The Great Depression had been the final nail in the coffin. Bull Bay had been a ghost town for the last seventy-five years.

There were the usual legends attached to both the town and the asylum: There were squatters living in the ruins, they said, the insane descendants of former patients - or even the aged former patients themselves. Satanists used the ruined town and desecrated church for their dark rites, if legend could be believed. Both the town and the asylum were supposed to be haunted by terrifying spirits. I wasn't really expecting any of the above - there was no evidence for any of the stories in the historical record. There might be transient squatters, but Bull Bay was far from any meaningful infrastructure, so I doubted anyone was living there long-term, and all the patients of the old asylum had been transferred to other facilities and were surely dead by now. At worst I imagined we might run into urban explorers.

But what I had suspected before Alice made her confession, I now knew: the massacre that had ultimately killed Bull Bay was not the work of Satanists, or escaped patients, or malevolent spirits. It had been the work of one vampire, alone and frightened and mad with hunger.

My fiancée was the local boogeyman.

We'd returned the convertible we drove in Florida and outright purchased a nice, sturdy used pickup. Even so, Rosalie drove us cautiously down the decaying, abandoned road, more of an overgrown dirt track than pavement in places, and we finally pulled into the old town center late in the afternoon. It had been pretty once, I was sure: there was a little church that had once been painted white, and a red schoolhouse, a brick library, even a little park with a playground and a bandstand. But the wood siding of the school and the church had warped and rotted over the years, bulging out of the walls, and the cross on the church's steeple had broken off and fallen to the sidewalk in front of it. The windows of the library were shattered, its bricks worn and faded. The bandstand's roof had collapsed in on itself, and the park was overgrown with weeds and brown grasses.

"This place is awesome!" Emmett boomed, as he jumped up from the bed of the truck, moving to unpack our equipment. "Let's set up next to the playground. You think that seesaw goes off on its own at night? I want to see a creepy child ghost!"

Alice cringed a little, and I hugged her, shooting a slightly dirty look in his direction. "Slow your roll, okay?"

"Oh. Yeah, right." He looked sheepish, and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, Alice."

"It's fine," she mumbled, burying her face in my shirt and snuggling close. "It's - whatever, it's okay."

"We can camp further in the woods if you want," Emmett offered. "I mean, it's the same amount of ground to cover, right? Just a few miles."

Rosalie snorted. "Is someone forgetting we're currently human?"

"Bells and Alice can totally carry us piggyback! Dibs on Alice!"

Alice laughed out loud at that, and Emmett grinned at her as she turned to face him. "I'm _only_ doing that if we get it on video."

"We didn't bring the video camera," Rosalie pointed out.

Emmett shrugged. "Well, we can go back and buy one."

"Maybe we should just camp a little further in, between the town and the asylum," I suggested, holding up my hand to forestall further argument. "A two and a half mile hike from camp either way isn't too bad, is it? That's like an hour."

Rosalie looked around, frowning contemplatively. "It'll depend on the terrain, but yeah, we can probably manage. I'm not sure much further the truck can go if the road gets too rough, though. Which way is the asylum?"

"That way," Alice said, very quietly, before I could speak up. She turned and pointed at a lonely road into the woods, nestled between the church and the library. I took her hand and she squeezed it silently.

Rose eyed it for a moment, then nodded. "Doesn't look much worse than the road into town. We can try it, anyway. I'd rather not ditch the truck too far from camp."

"Let's do it!" Emmett agreed, dumping the gear back in the bed and leaping up to take his seat. Just then, a loud creek sounded from the playground, and we all turned to see the seesaw shifting, seemingly of its own accord, as the little merry-go-round turned and the swings moved in a sudden wind. Emmett's eyes lit up at once, but Alice shuddered, and I shot him another warning glance before he could say anything. He swallowed his comment, but couldn't entirely suppress a small grin.

I sighed, pulling Alice close again and kissing the top of her head. "Probably just the wind."

"Yeah," she agreed, her voice soft and hollow. "Probably."

Rosalie got back into the cab of the truck. "Come on, ladies. We're burning daylight."

* * *

We managed to make it three miles down the road before it started giving out, and we decided to stop at a roadside clearing to set up camp. The sun was drawing low in the sky as we unloaded and Emmett and Alice busied themselves setting up camp, while I volunteered Rosalie and myself for firewood duty. We ventured into the forest, gathering dry sticks and fallen branches, and I waited until we were out of Alice's immediate earshot before speaking, keeping my voice pitched low and using one of my hybrid tricks to throw it in Rosalie's ear.

"I want to ward the campsite before it gets dark."

Rose looked back at me, arching one golden eyebrow. "Okay. And how are you going to do that without magic?"

I sighed. "I'm not. I mean, I could try, the goddess knows I was binding and warding and banishing _before_ magic became objective fact to the whole damned world, but...I still can't feel it flowing through me here. Not quite. I'm not sure it would work. So...I think you should do it."

"Wait, sorry, when did I become a witch, and why am I only hearing about it now?"

"Callie keeps telling me you don't have to be a natural adept - like Jessica - to do magic. That anyone can do it with practice," I explained. "But I think...maybe we could do an end-run around the practice requirement. Magic is about power, focus, and intent. You have to know what you want, you have to want _only_ that in the moment, and you have to be able to throw your will behind it. Your power is _literally_ based on your own willpower, your sense of who you are, what you want, and what you can do. You can project it outward. I don't think it would take a lot of tweaking to translate that into a talent for magic. And I could teach you the rituals I used to set up wards."

Rosalie paused, tilting her head as she considered the matter. "What would it do to my power, aside from granting me a talent for witchcraft? Would I lose anything? And...well, you reduced my power to levels you thought were safe before turning me human. Are you sure this wouldn't cause any harm?"

"I don't entirely know the answers to all those questions," I admitted. "But if you let me try, I can find out. I was able to sense the safe limit when I drew your power down before, and Jessica and Callie can cast spells without issue, so I don't think magic would be inherently dangerous to you. As for losing anything...I don't _think_ you would. I haven't had to make that kind of trade for anyone else, not unless they _wanted_ to lose something, like the shifters with their imprinting. But I'd know it if that changed. It's lucky you're here, honestly. I don't think I could do this with anyone else. And if there are angry spirits around here - from what I remember, ghosts get most active in the dark, and the locals probably don't like Alice much."

"No," she agreed softly, looking around and then setting the wood she'd gathered on a large, flat rock nearby. "All right. Let's give it a shot."

"Okay." I set my wood down as well, then took both her hands in mine, concentrating as I slipped into the roots of her power, just as I had with Alice. It was, for the most part, slumbering, like a sprout waiting to grow and blossom. There was still a low-level buzz surrounding us, her power whispering to the world of her beauty, her confidence, her strength, the things that simultaneously drew people to her and kept the unwanted at arm's length. But she could do so much _more_ \- _would_ do so much more when my father's venom changed her, in concert with my own efforts, into a hybrid, and I expanded her abilities beyond even what she'd known before.

But that would come later. For now, I whispered back to the core of her power, the shining beacon of her very will. I teased it out, letting it send tendrils forth, testing its potential. I thought of the power it _could_ represent, the power to tap into the fires of creation and the will to direct them. Rosalie did not lack for will. The rest came down to details. And as I thought, building chains of logic in my mind, it all suddenly snapped into place, and the tiny blazing star within her flared brighter, its heat and light flowing through safe channels, _natural_ channels, within her mortal form.

With a sigh of relief, I pulled back out, coming back to the waking world and smiling up at her. "That should do it. How do you feel?"

"I-" She cut herself off, looking around with a deepening frown, then looking back at me, pacing slowly to either side in a wide arc. "There's..._music_ coming from you. Blended melodies, I'm - I'm not sure how to describe them."

"Okay...that's different…" My brows knitted together, then I snapped my fingers as it hit me. "Witches can sense magic. Jessica can do it without effort, and Callie explained it to me - it manifests through one of our existing senses. Most witches _see_ it as different colors, but Callie literally smells magic, and I guess you hear it as music. Vampires, hybrids and shifters are all magical enough that witches can pick up on it, whether or not we actually practice witchcraft."

"Oh. Well. Great. How do I make it stop? Because I imagine this will get annoying before too long," Rose replied, putting a hand to her head. "Not that you don't sound _pretty_, but…"

"No, I get it. Even the colors probably get annoying. You have to shield your mind. Here's what used to work for me: picture a wall of brambles surrounding you. Growing from the thorny vines are countless roses, lush and red, the blossoms crowding together, making the wall solid. Anything you don't want - stray energies, stray thoughts, music from nowhere, whatever - bounces off the blossoms. Even if a blossom is ripped apart, it's growing from a living vine, which can always grow another. The roses are constantly replaced in an endless cycle of life. It ebbs and flows with the magic around you, and within you, just like the tide washing in and out. It echoes the cycle of your breath, the beating of your heart, the endless pattern that _is_ life itself, for magic is life and life is magic and in one form or another we repeat. Feel it flow through you, and let it grow."

Rosalie had shut her eyes as I spoke, despite a dubious frown in the beginning, and as I rambled on, my voice soft and soothing, her breathing grew even, her heart beating in perfect rhythm. At last, she opened her eyes once more, completely calm for a split-second before they widened. "Bella...I can still feel it. I don't hear the music but - it's like something is flowing around me, _through_ me."

I felt a pang of jealousy tearing at my heart, and forced a smile to my face, though I'm sure it was bittersweet at best. "That's what it feels like, once you're in tune. Magic is a living thing, flowing endlessly through everything around us. Even when you're shielded, it moves through you."

"It's...it's incredible." Her gaze drifted downward, and she extended her arms, looking at her own hands, almost as though seeing them for the first time. "This is how you used to feel? All the time?"

I shut my eyes, feeling the hot sting of tears threatening my vision and trying to force them back. "Yes."

"Oh, shit. Bella, I'm sorry." I heard her step forward, and then her arms were around me. "I wasn't thinking, this is just…"

I hugged her back, nodding against her shoulder, my voice taking on a raw edge. "It's a gift. I remember. I'm glad for you, I'm - I'm glad it worked. I just wish…"

"I know," she whispered, squeezing gently. "I wish you could share this with me."

"Maybe someday. Maybe I won't be cut off forever." I let out a long breath, then finally stepped back, turning away and wiping at my eyes. "This is good, though. It worked. You should be able to make some holy water and set up the wards. We'd better finish up and get back to camp."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." Rosalie stepped over to the rock, gathering up her share of the wood, then looking back at me. "Bella...thank you."

I gave her a wistful grin. "You're welcome."

* * *

We finished gathering firewood for the evening and made it back to camp while the sun was still in the trees, the sky darkening and shifting into an array of gorgeous hues. Alice looked askance at me, clearly seeing something in my face or sensing something in my body language, but I kissed her and went for my notebook, waving her off for the moment. I wrote out my instructions in a quick and careful hand, then passed the notebook off to Rosalie, who scanned it, one eyebrow arching at the words.

"I'm sorry, '_myriad tongues_'?" she asked.

"_You_ try rhyming 'lungs' in context," I retorted. "Look, it serves. It always worked well enough for me."

"Myriad tongues," she said again, clucking her tongue and shaking her head. "I don't know if that's vaguely sexy or vaguely terrifying."

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a canteen of water and the canister of sea salt we'd brought, shoving them into our hands. "We're burning daylight, Hale."

She smirked, but went over to the fire Emmett had started, and as they watched, she poured the water from the canteen into a small cooking pot, speaking an incantation as she did.

_Water eternal, endless giving  
Blessed source of all things living  
By the moon that pulls thee in her might  
I ask thy grace upon this rite_

Next she poured a measure of the salt into her hand, setting the canister aside, and as she spoke, passing the salt over the fire and breathing gently upon it, I found myself mouthing the words.

_Sea salt, from the earth thou came  
Lapped up by ocean's myriad tongues  
Now I imbue thee through with sacred flame  
And with the breath of mine own lungs_

Rose poured the salt into the pot of water, then took a wooden spoon and stirred it clockwise over the fire, finishing the chant.

_By moon and sun, their fall and rise  
Salt and water, synthesize  
All holy power, I grant to thee  
So will it I, so mote it be_

She held her hand over the water as she spoke the last words, and I saw a shudder go through her, my own heart giving an answering pang. I thought I could see a small spark jump between her palm and the pot, but I half-convinced myself it was just my imagination. Alice scooted closer to me, putting an arm about her waist, and I turned to kiss the top of her head, giving her a small smile as Rose got up and headed to the edge of our camp.

As I'd instructed, Rosalie walked a broad circle around our campsite starting from the east, even enclosing the truck, ensuring we wouldn't have to cross the circle's boundary in the night for any reason. She dipped her fingers in the water as she went, sprinkling it on the ground, marking the circle out, and it glittered dimly where it fell.

_By east and south, by west and north  
Elemental powers I call thee forth  
Air and fire and earth and sea  
Please give thy blessing unto me_

_Cast the circle, bind it tight  
Against all evil and all blight  
Raise the wall and hold it fast  
Until dawn comes and night is past_

She finished her pacing and backed away from the perimeter, setting down the cooking pot and facing east, holding out both hands and shaking as her power flowed forth. My breath hitched as I saw streams of light flowing from her fingers, red and gold intertwining. Alice and Emmett both looked at me in surprise, seemingly unable to see what I could now perceive. Rosalie paid me no mind, speaking the last part of the incantation.

_Now this place our sanctum be  
Dark forces neither pass nor see  
Protect now mine, protect now me  
So will it I, so mote it be!_

The circle flared in golden light, and swirls of red and gold swept upward, forming a dome that enclosed our entire camp for a moment before fading back against the dimming sky. Rose's knees buckled slightly, and I was up and by her side in a moment, steadying her. She clutched at me with one hand, the other by her ear, and I could see the ring of golden light surrounding us still, just visible in the overgrown grass.

"I can still hear it, just a little - give me a minute. It's...it's like a fanfare or something. Or a battle hymn, maybe," she murmured, as Emmett and Alice caught up with us.

"Yeah, that's you all over. Rose...I could see it," I replied, my voice quiet and filled with awe. "I don't know if it's because I drew this out in you, or because of - some other connection we share, or what, but I could _see_ it, just like Callie said. Color and light. Red and gold, I guess that makes you a Gryffindor."

She looked back at me with wide eyes for a moment, then smirked a little, playfully shoving me back. "You and your nerd shit."

The moment of wonder and mystery was broken. I smirked back, bumping my hip against hers. "Hey, magic is _real_, Harry Potter seems totally relevant."

"Magic is real, Harry Potter is not, much like those mermaids you're obsessed with." While I gave an indignant squawk, she turned to Emmett, smiling up at him and stepping into his arms. "I'm okay, Em, don't fret."

"I wasn't _fretting_," he protested, but he folded his arms around her and held her close. "But if you're all done now, I think we should eat."

"Yes. Yes, you should, you need to replenish your energy. Food and rest," I added firmly.

"Okay, little sister, when did you become my _mom_?" Rosalie joked, laughing as I stuck my tongue out at her, only to yawn midway through. "But I guess I am a little bushed."

Alice smiled, a little tightly, as she glanced at me one last time. "I'll get dinner started."

* * *

Dinner was chili and hot dogs cooked over the open fire, classic camping fare, though all of it was delicious. Alice had turned into quite the chef since gaining the ability to eat human food, and I'd been picking up some skills in helping her. The night was quiet, though the circle continued to glow softly in the grass, and periodically Rosalie would look up or cock her head, her eyes narrowing as she regarded something just beyond the ward she'd established. We finished the evening off by toasting marshmallows and making s'mores, and when Rose began to doze against Emmett's shoulder, he scooped her up and helped her to their tent, bidding us goodnight.

Alice and I sat in silence for a few moments, toasting a couple more marshmallows, until at last she spoke. "You got any good ghost stories?"

I shivered at the thought, looking into the gloom, though I could still see nothing except the traces of Rosalie's spellwork. "Not funny, baby."

"Hey, I'm the one they'd be haunting. Pretty sure that's my call." She reached up, tucking some stray hair behind my ear, and then her fingers lingered until I met her gaze once more. "You want to talk about it?"

"The local ghosts? I think it'll be okay - Rose can make some more holy water in the morning, I can teach her some spells to bind and banish. They won't be too active in the light, in my experience. Maybe if we go into the basement, or the windows are blocked-"

"No." Alice put a finger to my lips, shaking her head. "Not that. Rose. You."

I took a deep, slightly shaky breath, then busied myself pulling the marshmallows back from the fire and assembling more s'mores. "We're not here for me. We're here for you. And I did what I had to do to protect you."

"I'm protected. Whether I deserve it or not." Guilt flashed across her face, but before I could say anything, she went on. "I'm grateful. Don't get me wrong. But I can tell it hurt you."

I finished the s'mores, setting them in a paper plate across our legs where they pressed together. I toyed idly with one, not really picking it up, as my thoughts stirred restlessly. "It was so easy, Alice. It was like it wanted to happen. Like I just plugged her in and - off she went. She could sense more than I could when I started, _do_ more than I could. I don't know if it would be that way with anyone else. I don't think it would work that way, the seeds have to be there. She had a compatible power. Most people don't. But...my power changes the way other people's powers work. It can alter people's very _natures_ if there's something inside them I can work with. It's _practically_ magic. If I could just bridge that gap…"

Alice's hand clamped around my wrist, squeezing tight, and her eyes were wide and wild when I looked at her. "You _promised_ me, Isabella Swan. You _promised_ me you wouldn't try to use your power on yourself."

"I won't - Alice, I won't. I'm not going to break any promise I've made to you, not if I can help it, you know that," I told her. "It's okay. I'm not going to try."

"Good." She seemed to catch herself, then, and let me go, letting out a long breath. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Whatever you saw rattled you, I remember it perfectly. Of course I do." I shook my head. "Not that you ever told me what you saw."

"I still don't want to say it out loud," she muttered, though her gaze turned to the stars above us and she sighed again. "I'll say this much, for whatever it may be worth. You can't control it. You can't work on yourself _and_ direct the power at the same time. You wouldn't even be able to stop, it would just feed on itself, and the consequences of that kind of endless change are...bad. Please don't make me go into detail."

"It's not...it wouldn't be like my dream, would it?" I asked.

Alice shook her head, looking back at me. "If that's what I'd seen, I would have told you already. Honestly, the idea of you turning into some - mad goddess made of light would be _preferable_."

I shuddered. "Doesn't feel that way to me."

"Maybe you have to see it to understand. Maybe you could say the same of me." She leaned on me, and picked up one of the cooling s'mores at last. "Let's just steer clear of both fates, shall we?"

I kissed her temple. "Sounds like a plan."

"Good." She bit into her treat, chewing thoughtfully. "So - you and Rose?"

"We're fine. We'll _be_ fine, I can't blame her for having magic - or enjoying it - when I gave it to her. I'll get over myself, and she'll stop walking on eggshells, and we'll go back to our usual blend of snark and sisterhood," I replied. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Anything to keep you safe. And honestly, it _is_ a gift. Even my memories of magic...there's nothing like it. Like feeling the pulse of the Earth in your veins, the connection we share with everything around us, the energy of life singing through the world. Even with the doubt I always carried, the suspicion that I was just imagining it, I wouldn't have given up that feeling for anything. I was linked to the goddess, to the living planet, to the powers of creation, and I felt...less alone."

Alice turned to me, gazing into my eyes, though I was slightly distracted by the smear of chocolate on her lower lip, dusted with graham cracker crumbs. "And you don't feel any kind of connection now?"

I smiled softly, reaching out to wipe her lip clean with my thumb before sticking it in my own mouth and licking off the chocolate, the crumbs, the taste of her. "I feel connected to my friends. I feel connected to _you_, most of all. Even when you're not with me, I don't feel alone. We share a heartbeat. We're two halves of a whole. Do _you_ ever feel alone?"

She sighed, setting her half-finished s'more down and leaning into me, her lips meeting mine in a slow kiss. "Not anymore. I miss you when you're gone. But I can still feel you out there."

I reached up, running my fingers through her dark hair, along her scalp, and she made a pleased little trilling noise in her throat, her eyelashes fluttering. "So that's all right. I have you, and you have me, and that's enough. The rest is a sort of...numbness, and I miss it, but as long as I have _you_, my heart still feels whole."

"I meant what I said, when we were...between places. I don't - remember everything I knew then. But I know I was speaking the truth," Alice said softly, meeting my eyes through her dark, lowered lashes. "There's hope. I couldn't be sure either way, but as long as there's life, there's hope. It could come back someday."

"It could. I'll keep trying. I'll be careful, but I'll keep trying." I kissed the tip of her nose. "We have magical protection for the rest of this trip if we need it. Rosalie has a way to protect herself, if she needs it, when she and Emmett go to England. That's what matters. The rest will tend to itself."

"It will. So." Alice lifted the plate of s'mores. "I think we should finish these."

"You're probably right, it's not like they're going to keep that well."

"Mmm-hm," she trilled, leaning into me again. "Besides, I want to get to a _proper_ dessert."

"Alice Cullen," I gasped, putting a hand to my chest. "Emmett and Rosalie are in the _next tent over_."

"Well, we could always shove a sock in your mouth."

"_Excuse me_, Miss 'I Scream High Enough To Shatter Glass'?"

Alice smirked. "Only in the _cottage_. _I_ have a little thing called self control."

"Oh, we'll just see about that," I retorted, shoving a s'more in my mouth and mock-glaring.

"We certainly will," she murmured, her eyes dark with desire, as full of promises as the starlit night, and then she was kissing me, her breath hot and flavored with marshmallow and chocolate, and I didn't care one bit if the whole plate fell from or laps and went to the bugs.

* * *

Finally, after we'd thoroughly distracted and exhausted one another, we slept, and my sleep was thankfully deep and dreamless. I woke sometime after Alice, alone in our tent, the sun coming in a diffuse glow through the walls. I could hear her laughter, high and tinkling, along with the sizzle of eggs and sausage on the skillet. I could smell the food too, and above it all the scent of hot coffee. No wonder she'd been lured from our bed - I still hadn't acquired the taste, but she had, and had become a bit of an addict.

When I emerged into the sunlight, taming my hair as best I could with my fingers, she was sitting next to Rosalie, and sure enough, they both had steaming mugs in their hands and half-empty plates on their laps. Emmett was tending the food over the fire.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Alice called.

"_I_ spent last night casting my very first spells, what's _your_ excuse?" Rose added. "You can tell me, I don't have your prudish aversion to discussing our sex lives."

"What you call a prudish aversion, I call a healthy set of boundaries. And why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?" I snagged a can of soda from the cooler, then turned my best puppy dog eyes on Emmett as he slid a fresh, generous serving of eggs and sausage onto a plate. "Emmett? Feed me?"

He looked at me, then at the plate piled high with food, then back at me, and finally sighed, handing it over. "I guess it's not nice to make you wait 'til I've had seconds."

I beamed at him as I took my breakfast. "You're my favorite!"

"Excuse me?" Rosalie retorted.

Alice took up the protest next. "_Excuse_ me?"

"You heard her," Emmett said, grabbing some more eggs from our supply.

I went to sit by Alice, but she swung her legs up to take up as much space on the makeshift bench as she could, raising an eyebrow up at me. Rosalie did the same on her other side, so they were sitting back to back. I sighed.

"He's my favorite dude? You're my favorite girl."

"Better, but I think Rose is still miffed," she replied.

"Oh, I am."

"Favorite dude, favorite girl, favorite sibling," I counted off, pointing to Emmett, Alice, and Rosalie in turn. "May I please sit by the love of my life now?"

Alice grinned, turning to sit up straight again. "Well, since I'm the love of your _life_…"

"You already knew that," I said, sitting down and kissing her cheek.

"I did, but I like hearing you say it."

"I'm going to lose my appetite," Rosalie said, though I caught her smiling softly at us.

"I'll finish your breakfast! I will make this sacrifice for you, babe," Emmett offered quickly.

"There's enough food for everybody, don't act like you're starving," Rose returned, her attention turning on him.

Emmett whimpered, looking down at the food cooking on the skillet. "So...hungry...I'm a growing boy, Rose…"

"And if you grow much more, we'll have to cut a hole in the roof of my new truck for your head and shoulders." She smirked, then turned her attention to me. "Hey. So. Magic. Is it always going to be that draining?"

I swallowed the bite of sausage I'd taken, shaking my head. "It's kind of like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger you'll get. But there's always going to be an upper limit, and you're always going to feel a little drained afterward - possibly exhausted, depending on how much you're trying to do. There are ways to gather and store extra power for really big stuff. Magic always has a price. I can keep teaching you, at least until we get back home and Callie can take over."

Rosalie wrinkled her nose, then sighed as I gave her an exasperated look. "I'm sorry, I'm just...still not her biggest fan. I don't like the way she treated you when she first showed up."

"I didn't like it much either. But we've both hurt each other, and...she was under a lot of strain. She's better now. We're better. And I hope you'll both try to get along, if not for my sake then because you're a witch now, and she's the best teacher available," I replied. "I can teach you what I remember, but that's based on _my_ memory of magic as something subtle, only half-tangible. It's a lot of theory. Callie understands magic as it is here and now, and she can put all that theory into practice. She can get more hands on than I can."

"I'd prefer she keep her hands off, thank you," Rose said. "But...I will try."

I let out a small, slightly frustrated huff of breath, but nodded. "Thank you. That's the most I can ask of either of you, I suppose. And I'll give her the same speech."

Rosalie nodded curtly. "Good. So. Where are we starting today?"

"The administration wing - that'll be the central section. The wards spread out from there, men on the west side, women on the east. I don't think we'll find much in those wings, but we should probably check Alice's room if we can figure out where it was." I glanced over at Alice, who was looking at the ground again, and took her hand, squeezing gently. "Anyway. There was an archive room on the top floor. I found this LiveJournal post from this guy who dropped in to explore a few months back, he said he couldn't get through the door. I'm hoping Alice and I can clear it. If all else fails, we can scale the wall and break a window, then try to get the door open from the other side."

"You think there's anything still in there?" Rose asked.

"They shut the place down in a hurry. They took the current patients and the records from the office, personal effects of the patients and staff, but a lot of the stuff is still there. A lot of it is busted from vandalism or decay, but it's around. I don't think they would have bothered with the archives."

"And once we have more to go on, I can fill in any gaps with my fancy new postcognitive visions," Alice added, wiggling the fingers of her free hand and giving me a small, wan smile. "Maybe I can even trace my own path back if I try."

"Let's...save that for now," I suggested, kissing her forehead. I didn't want her to relive a second more of those days than she had to. If we could get through this without her reliving her imprisonment, her change or the massacre she'd committed at all, I'd be extremely relieved.

"Okay. Sounds like a plan," Emmett said brightly, his words muffled by the food he was shoveling into his mouth.

I smirked slightly. "Slow down, buddy, if you choke I might crack a rib giving you the Heimlich."

"Rose has done pre-med, she'll look after me," he retorted, slurping his coffee.

She tapped her jaw thoughtfully. "Yes, but I'll have to punish you for your own stupidity. No sex for...two weeks?"

Emmett gulped at that, then chewed carefully and swallowed, sticking to smaller bites. Rosalie smiled at him, I chuckled, and Alice snuggled against me as we finished our breakfast, enjoying these last quiet moments before we made our way to the asylum.

* * *

Though the road was impassable for the truck, we were able to follow its track through the woods, avoiding the wild tangle of the trees and making decent time on our hike. The treeline suddenly stopped some distance from the asylum, giving way to fields of overgrown grass and weeds that itched against my legs in the muggy heat. The sun was revealed above us at last in all its glory, shining through a hazy veil of thin clouds. And before us lay the great bulk of a classic Kirkbride building, the central structure rearing up in four stories topped with multiple gables and a clocktower that scraped against the sky. The wards swept back from the center, three of them on either side, each of them set back from the next. From the sky, the whole building would look something like a broad, bat-winged V. From the ground, it resembled nothing so much as a squatting monster, watching us through the countless eyes that were its dark windows, stained and cracked under the weight of time.

Grimy chains and a large, rusted padlock lay scattered across the front steps, staining the stone beneath them a dull brownish red. The great front doors were shut, but seemed to sag on their hinges. The air seemed still and somehow stuffy already, even outside this place. Alice gave a little shudder, and I put my arm about her waist, pulling her close.

"Okay. Gotta admit. Even I'm feeling a little spooked right now," Emmett said quietly.

Rosalie squared her feet and set her shoulders, nodding to herself. "Nothing for it. Sooner we do this, sooner we can leave."

She strode up the steps, pulling hard on the front door. Even with all her strength at work, it opened only slowly, the hinges protesting with a loud creaking noise. Rose switched on her flashlight, and the beam cut through the gloom, motes of dust whirling and dancing in the light. Emmett sighed and followed after her, opening the other door and shining his light inside as well. We could just make out a broad foyer, with a grand staircase at the back of the room, and a reception desk to one side, separated by a wire mesh. That mesh had been cut apart and pried open sometime in the intervening years. The stairs, the floor, and the wood paneling of the walls were half-rotted, smashed in here and there, and decorated with graffiti ranging from personal tags to vulgarity to inverted crosses and pentagrams. Almost no sunlight shone in through the grime-coated windows, except where they had been cracked or holes had been smashed in, and even then there were only pale, meager beams at best.

The main staircase, at least, appeared to be in good condition, though it creaked ominously as we made our way to the second floor - but that was as far as it went. From there, we had to poke around for a while before finding a door with faded, tarnished brass letters proclaiming it to be STAIRWELL B. We made short work of the narrow steps the door concealed, arriving at last on the top floor of the building, and locating the archives after a brief search.

Rose frowned deeply as she stepped up to the door, examining it with a critical eye and rapping on it experimentally with her fist. "I don't think this is the original door. You said this place was built in 1880?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"This is a fire-rated steel door. Definitely early twentieth century. They might have just done some renovations, but this deadbolt...it would have been practically state of the art in 1920. You said that's the year the asylum closed," Rosalie replied, turning to look at me and smirking at the expression on my face. She tapped her temple. "What? It's not just fashion and fast cars up here."

"No, it's also astrophysics," I retorted, finding my voice again. "When did you become an expert on twentieth century architecture?"

"I'm not. I'm an expert on locks, mostly, and sometimes doors."

"Rose is a master thief," Emmett proclaimed proudly.

She swatted him, but kept her self-satisfied grin. "I've never _stolen_ \- okay, I've only stolen a _couple_ things, but it was for a good cause. I got bored the first time we were living in Forks. I taught myself how to pick locks. It turned into a whole thing."

"For context, that was around the time Ephraim Black's pack discovered them and they had to scramble to forge a truce," Alice remarked dryly. "I'm sure it was all _terribly_ dull."

"You talk a lot of crap for someone who wasn't even there. Trust me, once we _made_ the pact, things settled down _very_ quickly. The pack didn't want to be around us, we didn't want to be around them, the stench was hell on all of us. Your little tweaks have been a definite improvement. Leah actually smells pretty amazing now that I don't have the wolf scent to worry about."

Emmett waggled his eyebrows and opened his mouth, but I raised my hand to cut him off before we could get anywhere near _that_ topic. "Okay! So, key question - ugh, sorry, no pun intended - can you pick _this_ lock?"

"Yeah. Well...maybe. I actually haven't been able to squeeze in much practice since you turned me human," Rosalie replied, frowning at the door. "And if this door _was_ installed the year the asylum closed, while they were supposed to be busy clearing out, it begs the question - why were they so determined to keep people out?"

"Or what were they trying to keep in?" Emmett added.

"Great. I feel great about this whole line of inquiry." I sighed, shutting my eyes for a moment. "Rose, get started on the door. Alice...baby, I hate to ask, but…"

"No. You're right," Alice agreed quietly. When I turned to look back at her, her eyes had become unfocused. After a moment, she came back to reality, tilting her head and looking perplexed. "There's...a letter and a folder on the desk. A lot of dust. That's about it."

"Huh." I took a deep breath. "Okay, well...could have been worse."

"I was definitely expecting some kind of immortal killer crocodile man situation here," Emmett added.

I turned to stare at him. "Sorry, exactly when do you think we stepped into a B-grade horror movie?"

"Basically the second we drove into town, I mean, were you even paying attention?"

"You know, lockpicking is a lot easier when no one's distracting me with idle chatter," Rose interjected, still fiddling with the deadbolt.

Emmett hung his head, looking sheepish. "Sorry, babe."

Rose glanced up at him, and her expression softened into a small smile. "I'm sorry you won't get to wrestle an immortal crocodile man, though."

He sighed wistfully, gazing out a grimy window into the distance. "It would have been so _cool_."

I opened my mouth, only to snap it shut again as I heard Alice giggle softly beside me, and I found myself flooded with a sudden sense of relief for Emmett's antics, his ability to keep things light when I couldn't. I smiled softly and pulled her into my arms, and she leaned back against me as we watched Rosalie finish her work.

It took another fifteen minutes, and more than a few blistering curses muttered under her breath, but at last she got it. Even with the lock out of the way, Emmett had to apply all his strength to push the door open. Alice and I were on the verge of stepping in when the rusted hinges finally gave way, and the door swung aside with a high metallic creak that echoed through the empty building. We all stopped where we were for a second, holding our breath, listening, and I know I at least felt more than a little silly when I realized I was doing it. Still...there was something in the air here. It permeated the asylum, the town, the land around it. It had us all on edge.

We stepped inside to find a long, narrow room with one window on a far wall. Most of the walls were lined with old file cabinets, but sure enough, there was a desk with a little green-shaded lamp on it, and a single sheet of paper rested on top of a folder in the center of it. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust.

Alice reached out and, oh so carefully, picked up the paper, gently brushing the dust away with the assistance of soft, cautious puffs of breath. She scanned the text as it became legible, her mouth working quietly, emotions flashing through her eyes in rapid succession - confusion, then surprise, then awe, and finally sorrow. After a moment, she handed the letter to me, turning her attention to the folder.

"You can read it out loud," she said, her voice thick and cracking softly. "It's - it'll save me the trouble of explaining it."

I bit my lip, shooting her a sideways glance, but she was working on clearing the dust from the folder and the papers within. I exchanged a brief look with Rose and Emmett, then took a breath and began.

_Dear Maria,_

_If you're reading this, it means I'm gone, just like you said. I was hoping I could find some way around it. Hoping you were wrong. I guess that makes me a fool - you've never once been wrong in all the time I've known you. Even when the things the doctors did stole your memory, that gift of yours stayed strong._

_I'm just not ready to lay down and die. That's the thing. I can't help hoping I'll find some way to beat that old devil, that I'll make my way back to where I left you, that you'll never have to read this at all. Or, if you do, it'll be something for the two of us to laugh over. We'll go far away, somewhere people won't trouble themselves about us, and I'll teach you what you need to know. You'll never have to make the mistakes I did. Never have to live with the guilt._

_It's a pretty dream._

_But here we come back to the heart of it: you're never wrong. And you told me your future after the transformation was nothing but little flashes of light in the shadow. That you know you'll survive, if I fight for you, and you know you'll be left with some part of who you are, but that's it. The way things have been going, I'm afraid of what that might mean. So I'm leaving you a message in a bottle, and I'm hoping you find it._

_It took some doing, but I arranged an incident or two, convinced the chief of staff here that we needed to replace the door to this room, lock it up nice and tight. I just finished installing the new door and the new bolt. So far I've got the only key. I'll deliver the others in the morning. If I live that long. If not...I guess I've got to hope you find me. That you figure it out, somehow, and get yourself here. Like I said: message in a bottle._

_That devil's coming for you. I've got to lead him off. There's no time to say more. This file is everything they've written down about who you were. It's not everything. Some of it's outright lies. I'll tell you the rest when I see you._

_Your friend,_

_William_

I stared at the letter for another moment as my voice faded, then turned back to Alice. "This...he's clearly writing to you. But your name wasn't Maria."

"He is. And it wasn't, according to this," she said, holding up a birth certificate. "Mary Alice Brandon, born in Biloxi, Mississippi, February 21st, 1901, to George Henry Brandon and Lucy Constance Campbell."

I frowned. "So...why would he call you that?"

"Because this is one of the lies he was talking about," Alice replied. She took a deep breath, her eyelids fluttering closed. "I can look back and see him. The man who forged this at my father's request, who severed my past from my future - buried everything that had happened in ink and paper and lies. I can see my father himself burning the old papers - and I can see them in the moments before the flame. I was born in New Orleans, not Biloxi. My mother was Luciana, not Lucy - Luciana Constanza Campana Alvarado. And my name was _Maria_ Alice Brandon."


	5. What's Past is Prologue

The world seemed to fuzz and blur at the edges once more, and I felt the same sick sense of vertigo I'd experienced on our first day at the theme parks. The world wasn't _right_, wasn't as I'd remembered, and once again it hit me like a ton of bricks. But I couldn't do this. Not here, not now, not when Alice needed me. I couldn't even give any outward sign that something was wrong. This moment was about her. It had to stay that way.

The advantage to my hybrid brain was that it took a fraction of a second to work my way through all those thoughts, and then I could turn every ounce of my willpower to forcing the sensation back down. I _needed_ every last bit of my willpower - something about these changes from the world I thought I knew affected me badly. There would be time to figure out why. For the moment, I managed to shunt the sensation into a side room in my mind, slamming the door and locking it tight, before anyone even noticed there was something wrong. So I hoped, at least.

I came back to reality and focused on Alice, stepping forward and taking her hand. "What do you want to do?"

Alice looked up at me, then glanced around, biting her lip. "I _don't_ want to linger here. Or spend another night in Bull Bay. I definitely don't think I want to visit my room here. I know we came all this way, but...we have this," she said, raising the folder. "And I can probably use it to learn more than I ever wanted to know about my time in this asylum. But I'm sorry, I don't want to be here anymore. I want to know who I was before I came here. Can we go to New Orleans? Please?"

Her gaze passed over each of us, and I glanced to Rose and Emmett, seeking silent confirmation before I pulled her into my arms. "Of course we can."

"I can change our flight as soon as we get back to civilization," Rosalie added. "We can even spend a couple extra days there, if we want - as long as we're in Boston next Tuesday to meet up with Garrett, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank you," Alice said quietly, burying her face in my shoulder. "All of you."

I kissed the top of her head, squeezing her gently and rubbing her back. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

We managed to break camp, pack up, and get out of Bull Bay before sundown, and as we got back on the open road, I could feel a palpable sense of relief. I'd feared we'd have to spend days digging through the asylum and the nearby town, unearthing all of Alice's most painful memories in the process. I would have done it if she'd asked, but I'd still worried about the toll it might take on her - and my suspicion that Bull Bay's ghosts were more than just bad memories and unpleasant history had only kicked my worries up a notch or two. Whatever we found in New Orleans, it had to be better than staying in that accursed and haunted town.

We stopped in Biloxi for the night, taking a couple rooms at a local hotel. Alice had continued poring over her file in the truck, and once we were set up and snuggling in our bed, she reached for it again.

"Baby, are you sure?" I asked her, kissing the side of her temple.

She sighed, setting the folder back down. "...maybe not. I'm probably going to have nightmares as it is."

"You want to talk about it?"

She shifted slightly, turning to look at me with a critical eye. "Are you going to be okay? If it's not - exactly what you remember?"

"I-"

Alice cut me off, holding up a hand. "Remember, you don't get to lie to me, Bella. It happened again, didn't it? At the asylum, when I told you my birth name."

I turned away, letting my hair fall into my face. "You noticed?"

"I did. You hid it well, but yes, I noticed there was something off about you. I always notice. Is it getting worse?"

"It's getting...more obvious. But I was able to force it down again," I replied. "Alice, I didn't want to worry you, or - or put the focus on myself when we were trying to help _you_."

"I want to know if you're hurting, Bella Swan. I want to help, if I can." She cupped my face with both hands, turning my head until I was facing her. Her eyes, dark and troubled, searched mine. "I wish I knew what to do."

I reached up, brushing my fingers against her wrist. "So do I. Believe me. I don't understand what's happening to me, why it's affecting me this way."

"It's just been disorientation, though? You haven't noticed anything else?"

I shook my head. "No. No memory loss as far as I can tell, no lasting effects. My vision blurs, I get dizzy, I just get...knocked back for a second, I guess. I seem to be recovering quickly."

Alice hummed thoughtfully at that, then shut her eyes, her fingers stroking my cheeks and jaw. After a moment, she opened them again, shaking her head. "I can't _see_ any serious episodes ahead, but only the near future is ever completely certain. Promise me you'll tell me when it happens. Promise me you'll tell me if it gets worse."

"I will. I promise. And to answer your earlier question...I'll do my best to roll with the changes, and I'll let you know if I have any trouble. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, leaning in and planting a soft kiss against my lips. We lingered there for a moment before she pulled back, picking up the folder. "What they put me through...it wasn't electroconvulsive therapy like you thought. They induced fevers. They thought I was hallucinating, paranoid, they were trying to burn the madness out. They managed to destroy parts of my memory, but that's about it. Even as I became more confused from the illnesses they deliberately caused, I kept insisting my mother had been murdered by my stepmother, that my father was in on it, that my little sister was in danger. They didn't believe me. Why would they? I was a lunatic."

Her voice was decidedly bitter at that, and I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "God, Alice. I can't even imagine what that must have been like."

"Neither can I. Though I could always find out," she said, with a short, humorless laugh. "I don't think I'm in a hurry to experience the misogyny and torture that marked my final months as a human being. This William who befriended me, saved me from James...he sounds like he was my _only_ friend in the whole world, toward the end. No one visited me. Not even my father or my sister - he probably wouldn't let Cynthia see me. She was still just a kid. I wonder what her life was like. Did she have children? Grandchildren? Do I still have living relatives? Is it possible _she's_ still alive?"

"Maybe. I'm sure we could dig into it...how old would she be?" I asked.

"According to this, she was eight when I was committed to the asylum, in the fall of 1919," Alice replied. "I was there for about a year. The last entry in my file is dated August 1920. So she'd be in her early eighties now, and I look like a girl in her early twenties. God knows if she'd even remember what I looked like, but if she did…"

"It would come as quite a shock, I'm sure," I agreed. "We could come up with a story. Say you escaped, that you were just presumed dead. That you settled down somewhere. We could pass you off as, what, your own great-granddaughter, maybe?"

"Maybe. I don't know if it's a good idea." She sighed, resting her head against my chest. "I think I'd need to think about it. And maybe I shouldn't go looking until I've decided what to do if I _do_ have any living family."

"It's your call. I'll be here for you no matter what."

"I know," she said softly.

I rubbed her shoulder. "I'm guessing those records don't say anything about William."

"There's a passing mention - one of the doctors saw him talking to me, and warned him against it - but that's about it. Given everything that happened, I'd guess he just tried to evade the notice of the rest of the staff," Alice replied, shutting her eyes again. "I can look back and see him. He was a black man in early twentieth century Mississippi. That couldn't have been easy, but he had a kind face and a natural charisma. Most people warmed to him easily. Maybe it was some kind of power, maybe he was just that kind of person. He was the groundskeeper, he handled a lot of the day to day maintenance, and most of the staff trusted him implicitly. He was tall, broad-shouldered - I just about came up to his chest, just barely, if he was standing up straight. He often didn't, worried his size would intimidate people. His voice was deep and soothing, and he was so gentle with people, so patient, even when they scarcely deserved it. I figured out what he was within a week of meeting him, but he wasn't scared, just fascinated by my powers. And I wasn't scared of him, because he fed on animals. I could see that. He liked people too much to hurt them. He was a good man. We were very close, toward the end. Close enough that he gave his life for me, even though I told him he should abandon me and run, that he'd live longer, have a better life, if he did. That he could be a hero and a leader among our kind, in time. He said he wouldn't be much of a hero if he left me to die alone."

"He sounds amazing," I said softly. "I wish I could have met him."

Alice opened her eyes, tears glistening in her lashes. "My life would have been so different if he'd lived. If he'd beaten James despite all my visions, if he'd come and found me. He wouldn't have let me...let me kill all those people, he…"

I held her tight as she lost her voice and cried, her breath ragged. She turned to cling to me, her tears soaking into my shirt. "He loved you. He'd be glad you made it."

"He did - he was a better father to me than my own, easily as good as Carlisle," she replied. "But he'd be so disappointed in me. In what I did. He gave his life for me, and how did I repay him? I slaughtered half the town to slake my thirst."

"You said he was as good as Carlisle. That has to mean he'd understand, sweetheart," I said gently. "He couldn't be there to stop you. He knew that was a possibility. You woke alone and confused with no one to help you. What happened isn't your fault, and it's not his, it's...it's just this terrible thing that happened, because James forced both your hands. If you want to blame someone, blame _him._"

"James isn't the one who murdered all those people. James never had to bear the guilt of tearing them apart, drinking their blood."

"I don't think James was in the habit of bearing guilt. And he sure as hell killed more people - humans _and_ vampires - than you ever did," I returned. "That man was soaked in the blood of his victims, and that includes the blood of everyone who died in Bull Bay. They were the victims of _his_ choices, _his_ misdeeds. And he is gone from this world, for good. Isn't that justice enough?"

Her fingers pulled at my shirt, and she shook her head tightly. "It doesn't feel that way."

"Maybe it will, in time." I looked up at the ceiling, letting off a silent, wordless prayer that my Alice would come to accept that someday, before turning my attention back to her. "But listen. Think about everything you've just seen. Everything you now know about William. Do you _really_ think he would be anything but glad you'd survived? No matter how much sorrow he might have felt at the circumstances, can you picture him wishing you hadn't?"

Alice was silent for a long moment - long enough that I started to wonder if she'd cried herself into her exhaustion and fallen asleep. But her breathing wasn't quite even enough for that, and at last, she spoke. "No. He'd be happy I'd lived. He'd be thrilled to see me thriving, to see that I'd found the Cullens...that I have you. I wish he could be here to see all that. I wish I could talk to him, even one more time, and thank him for everything he did."

"I wish I could make that happen for you," I said quietly. "If I knew a way to call back the dead…"

"There would be any number of wrongs you'd right, I'm sure." She looked up at me and wiped at her eyes, giving me a shaky smile. "We have to make the best of the world we've been given, Bella."

I smiled back at her, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I could say the same to you. I love you, my heart."

She sighed and put the folder back on the bedside table, snuggling close. "I love you, my soul."

* * *

I wish I could say we fell into another deep and dreamless sleep after that, but it was a restless night at best. Alice woke twice from nightmares, waking me with a scream, and I held her and soothed her while she wept all over again. Even our brief brush against her time at the asylum had shaken her. I didn't know what else I could do to help her. I felt as though I might have done anything to take her burdens away.

The hours passed. The sun rose. And finally, exhausted, we showered and dressed and packed the few things we'd taken out of our luggage, and made our way down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.

Rosalie and Emmett were already seated at a table when we arrived, looking significantly more rested. They waved us over, and Emmett immediately flagged down a waiter to fill Alice's mug with coffee. I was tired enough that I was almost tempted to give the vile stuff another try, but I just ordered my usual Diet Coke instead.

"Rough night, I take it," Rose remarked.

I rubbed my face, nodding. "Yeah."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Alice said, before anyone could ask. "Not right now. Let's talk about something else, please."

Rosalie hesitated briefly - unusual for her, but she seemed reluctant to disturb whatever fragile peace we had. "Is magic a suitable topic for the breakfast table?" she asked at last. "Because I have questions."

I looked to Alice, who shrugged and gave a slight nod, then turned back to Rose. "My brain's working at like half capacity right now, but I'll do my best to answer."

"Okay. So. Do spells always have to rhyme like that? Because I felt ridiculous."

I managed a weary grin. "It worked, didn't it?"

"And I felt a little _less_ ridiculous when it did, but it still seemed...silly."

"If a little silliness is the only price you pay for messing with the raw power of creation, consider yourself lucky," I returned. The waiter returned to give me my soda and take our breakfast orders. I waited until he had left before I took a healthy swig of my drink and went on. "No. Spells don't have to rhyme. Spells don't require _incantations_. But it helps. It's like I told you before - magic is about power, intent, and focus. The focus is key. It is _not_ a good idea to get distracted when you're tinkering with the fabric of reality. You've met me, you know I'm in love with words…"

"And your own cleverness, but continue," Rosalie teased gently, with a little smirk.

I stuck my tongue out at her. "Anyway, it shouldn't come as a shock that my solution to most problems amounts to _more words_. Rhymes are patterns of words. They help me stay focused on what I'm doing. They allow me to speak my intent aloud, in a thoughtful, deliberate sort of way, and thus they channel the magic I'm pouring into a spell. Or, well...all of that is the theory. The tools witches use often serve the same purpose. In theory, yes, you could do magic just by thinking about it, but the movements we make, the tools we use, help guide and shape it."

Rose nodded slowly, absorbing all this. "And the holy water you had me make. Was that another tool?"

"A little bit, in that it defined the boundaries of the ward, but it was also, to some extent, a source of power," I replied. "Water and salt are both symbolic of life, and to some degree, magic _is_ life. It sings out of every living thing, and everything necessary for life, and some things that are neither but still move and change and grow in their own way and their own time. It flows all around us. It…"

"It's an energy field created by all living things," Emmett intoned, doing his best Alec Guinness impression. It wasn't very good. "It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."

Rosalie arched an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed. It didn't keep him from snickering a little. I balled up a napkin and bounced it off his forehead, making a face. That only made him laugh harder.

Rose rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "Ignore him, please. Go on."

"Okay, well...that analogy isn't _entirely_ inappropriate," I conceded, scowling a little as I did. "Magic is omnipresent. A witch can sense it all around, detect any changes in the local magical atmosphere, draw on it for her own purposes. And because everything around us can potentially hold its own kind of magic, we can refine those resources, and use them to grant power to our spells. In creating the holy water, you were refining the water and the salt, combining them into something more than the sum of their parts, and transforming them through the invocation of elemental and cosmic forces. The classical elements of water, earth, fire, and air, as well as the power of the moon and the sun and the natural cycles of our planet."

"But I still felt exhausted when I'd finished," she returned.

"You're new to this. And you were still putting a lot of your own power into the ward - the holy water just helped. As you continue practicing magic, bit by bit, you'll grow stronger, just as your body grows stronger when you exercise. Callie will be able to help you with all that. I've seen her with Jessica. She's a good teacher."

Rosalie made a face. "So you keep saying. Though it sounds like you taught her everything she knows."

I smiled wryly. "Apparently I did. Too bad I don't remember any of it."

"Well, you remembered enough to teach me my first spell," she said, with a ghost of a smile. "If you wanted to squeeze in a few more lessons this summer, I wouldn't say no."

I felt my own smile widen as I dipped my head in a quick nod. There was a small pang of jealousy deep down in my gut, maybe, but I couldn't refuse my surrogate big sister - and besides, as much as it had hurt to watch her doing magic while I still couldn't, there had been a sense of joy and wonder to it, too. I was pretty sure we'd both felt it. "I'd like that."

She broke into a grin, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. "Good. Now eat your breakfast."

I rolled my eyes, but smirked nonetheless. "Yes, mom."

* * *

After breakfast, we donated the camping equipment to a local charity Emmett had found, and Rosalie sweet-talked a nearby car dealer into taking the truck in exchange for another convertible. This one was black rather than red, and had a few years and more than a few miles on it, but she seemed immensely pleased with herself nonetheless as we rode on toward New Orleans, the top down and the warm summer wind in our hair.

I leaned between the front seats as we sped down the highway. "You _do_ remember we're _flying_ to Boston, and you don't get to keep your new baby, right?"

"There are companies that transport cars, Bella," Rose replied. "Some of them even do it well. If you're _very_ nice, maybe I'll give you this sweet baby girl when I'm done with her."

I gasped, putting a hand to my chest. "_What_ would Red Sonja think?"

"Oh, I'm finally going to get that truck of yours alone and make her _purr_. Sonja's going to be just _fine_."

"Goddamn, can you not talk that way when I can't do anything about it?" Emmett interjected.

I laughed, and Rosalie and I exchanged a smirk in the rearview mirror before I leaned back again, turning to Alice. "So where's our first stop? After the hotel, I mean."

"The public library, I think," she replied. "My ability to see the past doesn't seem to be quite as flexible as my ability to see the future just yet. I need something more to go on, a picture, a place, _some_thing. Maybe we can find a clue in the microfilm newspaper archives. If that doesn't work, perhaps the assessor's office? They could find whatever property my father might have owned in the city, and if we go there perhaps I can look back at its history. Or we could try to find my mother's death certificate or my original birth certificate at the office of vital records, maybe those would help. There are a few potential leads, honestly."

"Do you want me to try modifying your powers again?" I asked.

Alice shook her head. "I don't think it's my power that's the problem, I think I'm just getting used to it. I couldn't control my visions of the future perfectly at first, either."

"What if we divide and conquer?" Rosalie suggested. "Emmett and I can go to the assessor, I don't think it'll be too difficult to access property records that old. You two can go to the library and speed-read through the newspaper archives. If we strike out on both, we can try to get ahold of the birth and death records tomorrow - you can pretend you're doing genealogical research, I can turn on the charm if needed, one way or another I'm sure we can get our hands on that info."

"Hey, I'm plenty charming all on my own!" Alice protested, turning a pout on me. "Baby, tell her I'm charming."

"Alice is _extremely_ charming. She's delightful," I pronounced obediently, before nudging her in the ribs. "Rosalie does have that slight supernatural _oomph_ going for her, though."

She folded her arms, her pout deepening. "I have oomph. I have oomph coming out my _ears_."

"You should probably get that looked at," Emmett offered. "I don't think that's normal."

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "_Anyway_, that does sound like a plan to me. What do you say, baby?"

"Oh...yes, all right. That's the plan for today, then," Alice agreed, sobering up. "Check in at the hotel, then split up for a deep dive into the local newspaper archives and property files. According to the doctor's notes, my mother was murdered in the summer of 1918, which is when my sanity supposedly began to deteriorate. Unfortunately, he didn't provide too many details. There isn't even an exact date given."

"That narrows it down to around three months, at least," I said, frowning thoughtfully. "...there's something about that year. Something to do with New Orleans, I just can't seem to remember what."

"I'm sure we'll figure it out. Whatever it is."

I put my arm around Alice's shoulders, squeezing gently as she grew subdued once more. "Yeah, baby. We will."

* * *

The archivist at the main library seemed reluctant, at first, to let us at three solid months of microfilm for even one newspaper with only a few hours to go before closing, but Alice - with a determined gleam in her eye - turned on the charm and finally convinced him. Soon we were settled at a pair of readers, scrolling through page after page of carefully preserved editions of the _Times-Picayune_. Alice worked back from the end of August, while I worked forward through June, and I was nearing the end of the month when my phone vibrated in my pocket, lighting up with Rosalie's name. I flipped it open to find a text message.

_5513 St. Charles Ave. Alice's dad owned a house there. Also had a shop nearby but that building's been demolished._

I was about to text back when the second message came through:

_Assessor says the house is supposed to be haunted._

"Uhhhhhh," I said aloud, very quietly. Alice gave me a questioning glance, and I shook my head. "I'm just - going to step outside real quick and give Rose a call, okay?"

She raised an eyebrow at me, and nodded, and I managed to move at a human pace - albeit a fast human pace - down the stairs and out the front door before hitting the speed dial. Rosalie picked up after a couple rings, and before she could say anything, I blurted, "The house is _what_?"

"I know you can read, Bella, I said it's supposed to be haunted," she returned, her voice filled with a wry amusement. "Hello to you, too, by the way."

"Yes, sorry, hello - is there _any_ part of this side trip where we _aren't_ going to run into ghosts?" I groused. "Okay. Fine. The house is still intact, right? It's just the shop that was torn down?"

"Define intact."

"Rosalie…"

"It's still _standing_. But it's abandoned and deteriorating. No one's even tried to live there since the seventies," Rose said. "We're heading back to the hotel. I'm going to try and do some research online - from what the assessor said, there are a lot of stories about the place. Half of them are probably pure bull, but there has to be some scrap of truth in there somewhere."

"We can only hope." I leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Maybe the ghost is pure fabrication, too. You never know. Plenty of people see a creepy old house with a sordid history and leap to conclusions."

"Maybe. I don't think we're that lucky," I replied, glancing at my watch. "Alice and I have about an hour and a half before they kick us out of here, so we'll catch up with you after that."

"Sounds good. Let's plan on dinner, I'll find a place nearby. Love you, Bells."

"Love you, Rose. See you later," I replied, hanging up and heading back inside. By the time I returned to Alice, she had officially left the month of August 1918 and turned her attention to July. I put my hands on her shoulders and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "Hey. No luck yet?"

"No. Plenty of murders and accidents, but nothing about my mother. A lot of the stories are about some kind of 'Ax-Man,' actually," Alice said, her eyes flicking across the screen.

I froze. "...the Axeman of New Orleans. That's why the summer of 1918 sounded familiar."

"Wait, you know him?" she asked, glancing up at me.

I gave her a wry little smirk. "I mean, not socially, no. I was really into this stuff before - true crime, serial killers."

"Wow. Fun hobby. You're just full of layers, aren't you?"

"Like an onion or an ogre, baby," I said, sitting down beside her. "Okay, it was pretty macabre. But I've always been...both fascinated and repulsed by the darker side of humanity. I guess I wanted to try and understand what could drive a person to do things like that. How they could be stopped."

Alice sighed, but smiled at me fondly. "You were the kind of kid who pried apart toasters to see how they fit together, weren't you?"

"I was _way_ too much of a goody-two-shoes to mess with the household appliances, but you're not totally off the mark. Anyway, the Axeman was famous. Mainly because of this letter he supposedly wrote where he demanded that everyone in New Orleans play jazz, and pledged he wouldn't strike any home where a band was in full swing. He _also_ said he was a demon from Hell."

"Wow. Okay." Her eyes narrowed. "...you don't remember ever running into demons, do you? Do I need to worry about demons now?"

I couldn't help it. I hesitated. Her eyes widened, and I held up my hands. "I don't know. Honestly, I don't. I think there are - things in this world, spirits, demons, whatever you want to call them, that want to do us harm. But I don't know how literally I should take it. Anyway, the letter might have been a hoax. Some jazz musician trying to drum up business or something."

"How _very_ reassuring," Alice muttered, turning her attention back to the screen.

"Rosalie, um - she found your family's home. And your father's shop, but apparently that's been torn down," I said, a little uncomfortably. "The house is still standing. It sounds like it's in pretty bad shape, but no one's living there, and we have an address. We probably don't want to go trespassing while there are too many people around, but…"

Alice paused in her scrolling, shutting her eyes, but finally nodded. "You're right. We might as well finish up here, eat something, maybe take some time to plan."

"Yeah." I lapsed into a brief silence, then finally sighed. "Baby, you should know - Rose is still looking into it, but the house is supposed to be haunted. And if it is…"

She stopped again, leaning back in her chair. "If it is, it's probably my mother's ghost. That's what you were about to say, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Probably. With our luck, and everything."

She laughed quietly, without real humor. "Well. This entire leg of our trip is about facing my ghosts, isn't it? I just didn't expect it to be quite so literal."

I put my arm around her and rubbed her shoulder. "Rose can keep us safe. There are protection spells I used to cast on people, it wasn't all about warding places - I can teach her."

"Can she protect me from having my heart broken?" Alice asked, very softly, leaning into me.

I let out a long breath, shaking my head slowly. "I don't know a spell that can do that. I don't think I'd want to know. It's part of being human, or - almost, as the case may be."

"I suppose so," she said, a little wistfully. "It would be nice to just...turn it off sometimes."

"I know. I feel that way, too, once in a while, but - I don't see how switching off our humanity would do any good for anyone. Even if we could. It might be a reprieve, but the harm it would do…"

"Yeah. I can see that." She shook her head tightly, opening her eyes. "We should get back to this."

"Okay," I agreed, kissing her temple. "I can take over, if you want."

"No, just - finish with June and then join me. I need to do this." She spared me a brief glance. "But thank you."

"Of course." I turned my attention back to my own reader, scanning through the last few days, then sighing and unloading the film. "I'm sorry, I couldn't find anything in June either. How's it - Alice?"

She had suddenly frozen, staring at the screen, a tear running down her cheek. I hurried back to her side, pulling her into my arms, and she sniffled into my shoulder as I glanced at her screen, my eyes darting over the headline.

_AX-MAN STRIKES ON ST. CHARLES!  
Wife and mother cruelly slain, husband and children survive_

_Terror struck Uptown New Orleans in the early hours of July the 11th, as local jeweler and trader in pearls and gems George Henry Brandon, 45, woke to discover a mysterious figure looming over his bed, having already viciously murdered his wife Luciana as she slept next to him. Mr. Brandon, swiftly recovering his wits, managed to roll out of the killer's grasp and retrieved his pistol, with which he chased the intruder from his home. The Brandons' daughters, Maria, 17, and Cynthia, 6, were peacefully slumbering unharmed in their beds until awakened by the commotion._

_Nothing was taken from the Brandon home, suggesting that robbery was not the motive for the invasion. Mr. Brandon is currently cooperating with detectives in hopes of apprehending his wife's murderer, who may be the very figure who has been haunting our streets these past two months…_

The article went on, but I'd seen enough. I held Alice tighter to my chest, kissing her hair over and over, rubbing her back. Finally, she spoke, her voice slightly muffled as she pressed against me.

"It's stupid to cry over this, I already knew she was dead…"

"Shhh, no, it's not stupid. You're not stupid," I assured her. "You knew rationally she was dead. Learning the circumstances - especially circumstances like _this_ \- would shake anyone up."

"Why didn't I see this? Why didn't I warn her? Were my powers simply not as strong, then? Or…" She trailed off again and grew still and quiet, concentrating. I let her work, simply holding her close, until she returned to the present. "...I did. I can see it, I saw her being murdered in my parents' bed. I tried to warn her - she listened, but after weeks of vigilance she relaxed her guard. I didn't I tried not to, I would try to stay awake all night to watch for signs of the killer, but...but I was so exhausted and I couldn't keep it up…"

She shuddered in my arms, and I kissed the top of her head. "You tried. You tried so hard, you can't blame yourself for this. You _shouldn't_. It wasn't your fault."

"No. No, it wasn't," Alice said, her tone growing stony. "There was a woman. An heiress, rich and powerful, connected to high society. She was a regular at my father's shop. I didn't like her, didn't trust her. I didn't like the way they looked at one another, spoke to one another. And one night I saw her in a vision...I saw her speaking to a man who stayed in the shadows. She was furious. She asked why the deed hadn't been done yet, why the woman she hated - hated _so much_ \- still lived. She said she'd given him everything he should need, paid him more than he was worth. He said it was too dangerous, that the woman she wanted dead was on her guard, that he needed more. My mother...my mother died a couple days later. We were both so _tired_ that night, after dinner, and I thought it was just the strain but…"

"But you think someone in the house was in on it?" I asked gently.

"Yes. I think they might have been. I'm not sure who." She shook her head. "Once we're inside the house, I'm sure I can look back through its history, see what actually happened."

I shut my eyes, shifting to rest my forehead against hers. "All right then. All roads lead to the haunted house."

She let out another humorless little laugh. "God help us all."


	6. Wake the Dead

Dinner that evening was a somber affair - we grabbed takeout and ate in our hotel suite, none of us feeling particularly interested in going out to a restaurant. I barely tasted the food, for all my worrying over Alice, who had grown pensive and silent as the hours passed, and now picked at her dinner rather than eating. Finally, with a sigh, she shoved her jambalaya aside, looking to Rosalie.

"What did you find out about the...haunting?" she asked, with a small grimace.

Rosalie sighed, setting her own dish to one side and opening her laptop. "There are a lot of stories. It's hard to figure out which ones might be true, but the general history is fairly consistent. The house has been sold a few times - it's been a residence, of course, but people have also tried turning it into a furniture store, a bed and breakfast, a private girls' school, and a museum of local history. No one's lasted more than a year in the place. It's stood abandoned for decades at a time. The current owner is Nicolas Cage."

I started. "I'm sorry, _actual_ Nicolas Cage?"

"Actual Nicolas Cage, the actor, yes. It's not even the only infamously haunted house in New Orleans he owns - he also bought a place in the French Quarter, the Lalaurie Mansion. He put up _super_ tasteful signs on both houses," she replied, making a face. "I don't know who's advising him on his finances, but either they're incompetent or Cage just isn't listening."

"Rose." Alice shut her eyes, setting her jaw, her voice strained. "The haunting. Please."

Rosalie actually looked a little guilty at that, glancing down. "Right. Sorry. It's...not pleasant. But it's fairly consistent. Even today, people claim they hear a woman wailing at night. They can't always make out words but...she seems to be speaking Spanish, crying out for her children. Some locals have even connected her to La Llorona, even though we're a little outside the usual range of that legend. There have been sightings - lights moving in the house at night, even apparitions of a woman in white, weeping black tears. Sometimes...Alice, this gets really gruesome."

"If it's real, we're very likely to see it for ourselves," she replied firmly, opening her eyes again. "Tell me. Please. So I can brace myself."

"Right, well...from what Bella told me you found, this...could be accurate," Rose allowed. "They say her throat is cut and leaking blood, that she has open wounds, sometimes, on her arms and face. She seems to be in terrible pain, racked with grief and anger."

Alice nodded, and when she spoke, her voice was very quiet. "Yes. Of course. That makes perfect sense."

My heart seemed like it was about to rend in two. I reached for her, unsure what else I could do. "Alice…"

She rose lightly to her feet, stepping away, not quite meeting any of our eyes. "I need to lie down. I don't know if I'll even be able to sleep, but I just - need to lie down. Bella, um...I really think I need some time alone. Okay?"

"Oh," I breathed, feeling suddenly like the girl I'd been seven months before, lost and frightened and unsure of the ground beneath my feet. "No. I mean, sorry, yes, of course that's okay. I'll...I'll sleep on the couch."

"She'll stay with us," Emmett interjected, and Alice looked at him, nodding curtly.

She turned back to me, giving me a hollow-eyed stare, speaking with a faintly shaking voice. "I love you. I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you," I echoed, and she nodded again at my response, half-raising her hand before retreating into our bedroom, shutting the door behind her. I turned to the others, opening my mouth, but before I could speak, Rosalie shook her head tightly and rose to her feet, gesturing at their room on the other side of the suite. I bit my lip but nodded in agreement, picking up my takeout only to find I'd finished it. Sighing, I dumped the containers in the trash, following Rosalie into her bedroom, with Emmett following behind us.

"Shoes off, socks too, get in bed," Rosalie ordered.

I glanced between the two of them and their king-sized bed as Emmett shut the door. "Uh."

Rose rolled her eyes. "You _know_ that's not what I mean. There's a time to do your usual 'laugh it off and deflect' routine, but this isn't it. Come on."

"...right. Okay." I took off my shoes and socks, then slipped under the covers. Rose joined me on one side, pulling me close, her fingers running through my hair, while Emmett settled his comforting bulk on the other, leaving me sandwiched between them. It felt weird as hell, to say the least, but something about being snuggled between two of my favorite people left me feeling safer, calmer, for all that I was worried half out of my mind over Alice. I still couldn't help giving voice to that worry. "This is bad, isn't it?"

Rosalie and Emmett exchanged a glance over my head. It was Emmett who spoke at last. "We've all had our...issues, Bells. We've all had trouble dealing with the things we've seen, or done. Alice, too. You know she hasn't always led the life she wanted. With memories like ours, none of our baggage every really goes away completely. We just learn to carry it. But it...it hasn't been this bad in a long while. Maybe ever."

"Look, she's had a terrible day. She's just learned that her mother was murdered," Rosalie said, counting off on her fingers. "Not only that, but she may have been murdered by one of the most infamous serial killers in the city's history. More, she suspects someone in the household may have helped the killer get around her own visions, forced Alice and her mother to drop their guard so the murderer could strike. And to top it all off, it sounds very likely that her mother's spirit still dwells in the house as an angry ghost. Even a fraction of that would put a strain on anyone. We just have to hope that whatever we learn at the house gives her some kind of peace."

I shook my head. "No. Closure, maybe. But I think peace may be a long time coming."

Rose hesitated, then kissed my forehead gently. "You might be right. But she has you. She has all of us. We're all going to do everything we can to see her through this."

"If she'll let us," I replied, very quietly.

"She will. Have faith. She just needs time." Her fingers stroked my scalp, and she hummed softly for a moment or two, thinking. "Bella...you said you used to bind, ward, and banish spirits. What does it mean to banish a ghost? Where do they go?"

I shut my eyes tight. "Wherever they're _meant_ to go. The afterlife. Home to the goddess, so she can watch over them until the time comes for their next lives. That's what I always believed...or maybe it would be more accurate to say that's what I always hoped. And it was all just...feeling, for me. I've seen things that I would call ghosts, but they weren't quite what you described. They weren't full apparitions. They didn't speak. They were doors opening and closing of their own accord, blurry masses of light or shadow, hideous things in mirrors, powerful sensations of dread and despair. The supernatural powers and beings of the world I remember were subtle. I've told you. You could never quite be sure if they were there or not, if what you did actually had any effect."

"What did it feel like when you banished them?"

"Like pushing someone so hard they disappeared from any kind of reality I could perceive," I replied. "It felt like justice. It felt right. I can't say it felt _good_. I only even attempted it with spirits that seemed actively dangerous."

"And they never - obviously they never spoke with you, but you never found any way to communicate?" Rose asked.

I shook my head. "Not in words. Not in any way I could easily understand. They did things that scared me, or - well. When I was in college, after I'd come out and started transitioning, I lived with some friends in a little apartment in one of the women's dorms. There was supposed to be a ghost there, the ghost of the woman who'd paid for the place, and she hated men. Supposedly she'd attack girls' boyfriends if they stayed after dark, push them off fire escapes, that kind of thing. The first night I slept there...I swear she was in my dreams, sifting through my mind. I thought I could feel her. She wasn't angry, she just didn't seem to know what to make of me."

"Mmm-hmm. So what happened?"

I cracked a small, lopsided smile. "What else? I did a spell. I didn't banish her, I just gathered some herbs, tried to make a sort of potion to affirm my womanhood." A small, soft laugh bubbled up from my throat. "It was _awful_. I'd never done it before, I had no sense of blending or steeping things, it was just - loose herbs in a cup of tap water. I spent more time paging frantically through my herbal trying to confirm that everything I wanted to use was safe than I did on the actual rite. I had to choke it down. But it worked. She left me alone after that. In some ways it was almost...disappointing. She'd touched my mind, but as soon as she was satisfied I belonged, she didn't seem to have anything else to say."

Rose smiled fondly at me, rolling her eyes a little bit at the story. "It sounds like you're lucky you didn't poison yourself."

"I did research! I _said_ I checked my herbal. Everything I used was safe for human consumption," I protested. "I lived, it worked, all's well that ends well."

"I suppose it ended well enough," she said, with a one-shouldered shrug and a teasing smirk. Any hint of a smile soon fled from her face, though. "This ghost speaks. Supposedly. And it speaks Spanish, at least, same as...well, all of us, really."

"Yeah, even with Alice's tutoring and the whole perfect hybrid memory thing, I don't know if I'd trust my one semester of Spanish," I muttered. "Anyway, even if she can speak...I'm not sure most ghosts are stable enough to hold a conversation. Some of them seemed to have a kind of consciousness, in my experience. But a lot of them, based on both my experience _and_ everything I read on the subject, were more like echoes of life than anything. Recordings of the past, playing on a loop, or maybe a rudimentary consciousness acting out base desires. Alice's mom could be like that, in which case banishing her might be a kindness."

Rose frowned deeply at that. "I don't like the idea of banishing whatever's left of Alice's mother right in front of her."

"Uh, yeah, seconded, that sounds counterproductive," Emmett added. "Isn't there any kind of witchy thing you two could come up with?"

Rosalie looked expectantly at me, and I sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "...maybe. We could try a sort of summoning. If she's not completely there, maybe we could call her consciousness back from the afterlife. We'd need - let's see. Dittany of Crete and wormwood to call upon the spirits of the dead, plus dragon's blood for power, garlic and vervain for purity and protection, and rosemary to strengthen the mind and memory."

"Do I get to fight a dragon?" Emmett asked, instantly perking up. "Holy shit, Bella, _do I get to fight a dragon?_"

I couldn't help laughing softly at his reaction, despite the somber mood hanging over all of us. "Down, boy. It's not literal blood. It's a resin."

He deflated, letting out a long-suffering sigh. "Oh."

"I was definitely not going to let you fight a dragon anyway, babe," Rosalie told him, before turning back to me. "Rosemary and garlic are easy. Where would we get the rest?"

"It's New Orleans. Next to Salem, it's probably one of the best places on Earth to find a shop selling occult supplies," I replied. "But you're probably looking for a place that caters to pagans in general - Wiccans in particular, if you need to get specific. My faith and practice are close enough to Wicca for jazz. Voodoo or conjure? Not so much. I only have a cursory understanding of either, so I have no idea if they'd sell the same herbs or supplies."

"There's a lot of 'you' in there and not a lot of 'we'."

"Yeah. Sorry. I'll make you a list, but...while you're looking around, I think I should call Callie." Rosalie made a face at that pronouncement, and I sighed softly. "I know you're not her biggest fan."

"She's - fine. But I don't like the way she's treated you in the past."

"Sometimes our friendship's been a little bumpy. I promise - I keep telling you - it's fine," I returned, giving her a slightly reproachful look. "Anyway, necromancy's not my specialty. You want to ward against the dead? Bind them into something? Banish them from this world? I have a good grasp on the theory. You want to talk to them? I have _ideas_, I know some of the principles, but I'm out of my depth. I don't think it's Callie's specialty, either, but she remembers a world where magic was a lot less subtle, a lot more potent, and significantly more common. If anyone in this world can point us in the right direction, it's her."

Rosalie sighed as well, but relented. "Okay. You're right. You should talk to her. Better you than me. And...I'm sorry I keep getting...prickly about her, I guess. It's just going to take time for me to warm up to her."

"Well, it would help if you gave her a chance," I muttered. "Sorry. That's not fair. I just - I do want you to get along. I love you both to pieces. But more than that, she really is the best available magic teacher on the planet, as far as I'm aware. She remembers more than I do. Her magic works. And your only other option is Jessica, who'd just be teaching you what Callie is teaching her - plus I'm pretty sure if I left you alone in a room with Jessica Stanley, one or both of you would lose it."

Rosalie shifted uncomfortably. "...okay, you might have a point."

"I'm pretty smart. It's not just this." I gestured vaguely at my face and body, and Rose and Emmett both chuckled quietly.

Emmett's laughter broke off into a deep, extended yawn, and Rose and I both found ourselves echoing the gesture. He chuckled again and wrapped his arms around me in a brief, fierce hug. "I think it's past time we actually got some sleep. It's not going to get any easier to talk to ghosts if _we're_ dead on our feet."

Rosalie made a face, reaching over to lightly swat his hand. "Emmett."

"No, you're right. I just…" I looked at the closed door leading to the sitting room, thinking of Alice sleeping in the room just beyond it. "What if she needs me?"

"She'll find you. Or you'll hear her," Rose told me gently. "Go to sleep, Bella. Get whatever rest you can."

I found myself yawning again, and nodded wearily. "I'll try."

* * *

Even nestled as I was between Rose and Emmett, safe and warm and comfortable, I couldn't stop fretting over Alice. Every time I tried to turn my brain off, the guilt and worry came surging back. From the way they both shifted and grunted beside me now and then, I felt certain the other two weren't having the easiest time falling asleep, either. But eventually exhaustion claimed them, it seemed, and they settled, their bodies growing slack, their breathing deep and even. And then, at last, it was my turn to reach the end of my tether and drift off.

A moment later, I opened my eyes.

I was in the seaside cottage again, but it was dark and empty. Alice - or the version of her that had previously been here - wasn't with me. There was no sign of the cats. I sat up in bed, screwing my eyes tightly shut and clutching at my head.

"No," I groaned. "No, no, no, no, _not again, no!_"

Someone knocked on the door. Three slow raps, loud and steady, and then they stopped.

I opened my eyes again. Through the curtained windows, I could see lights, and human figures shifting dimly. I stared for a moment, then slowly, cautiously, I rose to my feet and paced over to the door, pulling it open and stepping outside.

There were seven women assembled on the beach. I knew six of them.

Esme was there, first of all, but she was dressed in a white gown tinged with green, and clearly heavily pregnant. Flowers were woven into her hair, and she was glowing and visibly delighted. Then there was Eleanor, wearing simple, homespun clothes that exposed her brawny arms, and a leather apron carrying an array of tools over everything. Callie - in the form of Tara Chen, as I knew her here - wore a light, short, vaguely Grecian shift, and held a torch aloft, one of the lights I had seen. There was a sense of motion about her, even a sense of flight, though she stood waiting and watching me in the sand.

Alice, my Alice, the Alice I knew and loved from the waking world, wore a purple gown, and her eyes were dark and distant. Leah stood beside her, wearing plate armor and a blue surcoat, of all things, a shield strapped to her back and a sword at her hip. And then there was Rosalie, dressed in a black chiton, resting her weight on a wooden staff with a hook at the top to hold a lantern.

Last of all, there was a woman clad in shifting blacks and greys like a mass of shadow. She held a shining candle, and her face was covered by a white mask, and though her eyes seemed vaguely familiar, I couldn't place her.

"Hello, Bella," Esme said gently, offering me a smile.

"Hello," I said automatically. It seemed only polite, and I felt a strange pressure to be as graceful and respectful as possible. "I'm sorry, may I ask a question?"

Esme nodded. "Of course, dear heart."

I spread my arms, looking around. "Why am I back on the threshold? Am I...am I going to die?"

"Not at this time. Not for a while yet, at the least," Rosalie replied. She exchanged a glance with the masked woman, and they nodded to each other before she turned back to me. "This is more than the threshold of life and death."

"What does that mean?"

Alice stepped forward, reaching up and touching my face, shaking her head sadly. "You don't understand. You don't know us. How small you've become."

"Small?" I echoed, feeling vaguely hurt and substantially offended.

"Compared to what you were, yes. You had already been diminished before you came here," Eleanor added, folding her arms and frowning at me. "You have lost even more since."

I shut my eyes, shaking my head tightly. "Yes. I know. Is that why you're here? Whoever you are? Because I don't think you're the people you seem to be."

"Very astute," Esme said, her voice genuinely warm. "Oh, Bella. What happened isn't your fault. Not entirely, at least. Your passage through the worlds has made you less. But you are recovering some of what you once were. And here...here you are a shadow of your former self. Be quiet. Reach out. Let it come to you."

I wanted to say more, but something told me to do as she asked. I kept my eyes shut, breathing deeply, trying to settle my mind and just _feel_. And I did. Suddenly, I could feel the world around me again, sense magic flowing, feel the power radiating off the figures arrayed around me like the summer sun beating against my skin. My eyes popped open once more, my mouth dropping in shock, and tears came to me unbidden. "I can feel it again. I can _feel_ it, I - oh!"

I dropped suddenly to my knees, bowing my head. "My _ladies_, I...I didn't know you. Goddess, how could I ever have forgotten you?"

"Rise, Bella," Esme told me, stepping forward and taking me by the chin, carefully tilting my face upward to look at her. "I told you. It's not your fault."

"I'm sorry," I said, the tears running down my cheeks now as I rose to my feet. "I'm so sorry. I still don't remember your names, just...Mother. Shaper. Messenger. Dreamer. Protector. Traveler. Shadow. I've missed you. I've missed you all so much."

Esme - the Mother - pulled me into her arms, warmth and compassion and safety flowing like tangible forces through her embrace. I supposed those things _were_ tangible here. "We've missed you, too, little poet."

"But why have you come?" I asked again. "What are you doing here? Does this have anything to do with the dreams I've been having?"

"We came because you called us." It was Callie who spoke, the Messenger wrapped in a form I knew. "Some part of you awakened, and remembered, and cried out to us."

"You're in pain. And your beloved is in pain," the Mother added.

Alice, the Dreamer, looked up at me and shook her head sadly. "Callie won't be able to help you. Part of you already knows it. Necromancy was never your specialty. You wouldn't have taught it to her."

I felt the wind go out of me, and my gaze fell to the sand at my feet. "Then what can I do? Alice _is_ in pain - she's in so much pain, and seeing her mother the way she probably is now, anger and madness and grief wrapped up in a shell of what she once was...it's going to cut her deep. She needs to know the truth, whatever it is. She needs to talk to her mother."

"Do what you always do, dear heart," Esme told me, pressing her forehead against mine, cupping my face in both hands. "Spin your heart into rhyme, spin the rhyme into magic. And trust your sister to cast the spell. We cannot linger here. But a part of you called us. We see the plea for help in your heart. We are not gone. We answer."

She stepped back, and the Messenger walked over to me, leaning down to kiss me on both ears, and then, chastely, on the lips. "I grant you grace."

Alice stepped forward next, acting as the Dreamer, and she smiled up at me, gesturing for me to close my eyes. When I did, she kissed both my eyelids. "I grant you grace."

Next came Leah, standing in for the Protector, who kissed both my hands; and Rosalie, as the Traveler, who kissed my brow. The Shadow stepped forward last of all, and I felt a strange, mingled sense of gratitude and anxiety as she strode slowly toward me. She did not kiss me. She did not speak. Instead, she lifted her mask, and whatever lay beneath it surged into my mind, dug into my soul, and the world around me fell away.

* * *

I woke with a start, gasping loud enough to wake Rosalie, at least, though Emmett kept snoring away beside us. She moved into a sitting position at once, touching my arm. "Bella, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Paper," I blurted, scooting out of the bed and going to the desk against one wall. "I need paper and - a pen! Thank God."

Finding a hotel pad and pen, I dropped into the desk chair, beginning to write rapidly, stringing words together as quickly as I could, occasionally scribbling something out and replacing it as I went. Rosalie padded over on bare feet, putting her hands on my shoulders and watching as I wrote, pursing her lips.

"This came to you in a dream?"

"It's complicated," I replied distractedly. "Basically yes. I still need to call Callie after this, there's some stuff she failed to mention before. There might still be some gaps she can fill in."

Rose nodded, then frowned. "This doesn't rhyme."

"It doesn't have to rhyme. Here I thought you'd be grateful."

"I am, don't get me wrong. What are these names you're invoking?" she asked, pointing.

"They're more like titles. We're calling across the veil between life and death, we need the help and consent of the divine. Or at least a few specific aspects." I glanced up at Rosalie. Now that I was thinking of the aspects of my goddess, it felt strange to look at her, having last seen her standing in for one of them. I half-expected to see her clothes turn into the black chiton she'd been wearing. "The Traveler. She watches over us on journeys, even the journey from death to what comes next. The Messenger. She forms connections, from alliances to friendship to love, and aids in communication. The Protector, well, you can guess what she does, we'll invoke her to ensure peace. And the Shadow...she represents magic, mystery, and the search for knowledge. To walk in darkness, seeking light."

"Is that...from something?" Rose said uncertainly. "I've never heard of these goddesses."

"You wouldn't have," I replied, shaking my head. "Don't worry. I'll handle the invocations. You shouldn't call on gods you don't worship."

"Bella, you don't have magic."

"For this? For calling out to my goddess? I don't need it. Besides, I..." I shut my eyes, forcing my thoughts to a low murmur, reaching out with my mind. There was...something. It was like I was trying to grasp something through multiple pairs of gloves, and it was only _just_ within my reach, just at my fingertips, but it was there. "...I can _feel_ it again, Rose. Just barely, but - I think I can."

She dropped to her knees beside me, taking both my hands in hers, her blue-violet eyes searching their reflection in my own. "What does that mean? Can you do magic again? Or - are you going to be able to do magic again, eventually?"

"I don't know. The universe is talking to me again, I just - I don't know if I can talk back and make myself understood. But I have to try, I'd...fuck, I'd work miracles if it would help Alice, I'd move _mountains_ if I could…" My voice began to shake, and my vision blurred slightly with tears, and Rosalie moved to sweep me into her arms.

"Shhh. Shh, I know, little sister," she replied quietly. "I'd do the same for Emmett. Or Ellie, honestly. Or you. Maybe that's all love comes down to, in the end."

I let out a small, scoffing laugh, sniffing and wiping at my face. "That kind of sucks. Love boils down to feeling - lost? Broken, useless?"

"No. Love, true love, changes us. It makes us push ourselves. It drives us to be better people, to help our loved ones, to make them proud," Rose said. "Love makes us stronger. And if we're very lucky, maybe it makes us the best possible versions of ourselves. I don't think I'm there yet, but hey. There's always hope."

I slung my arms around her shoulders and sighed as I pulled her into a loose hug. "I don't think you're as bad as you think."

"I don't think you've known me all that long," Rose retorted, echoing my sigh. "You think you can get back to sleep?"

I shook my head, and she gave me a crooked grin. "Yeah. Me neither. Come on, let's get dressed and duck out to Cafe du Monde. We can surprise our sweethearts with coffee and beignets."

* * *

Alice still seemed slightly lost when she rose an hour later, though she kissed me absently and managed one or two faint smiles over breakfast. Since we weren't going to try and get into her childhood home until after dark, Emmett appointed himself chief morale officer, dragging her off right after we finished eating, pitching her relentlessly on a day trip to Six Flags as they left. Rosalie turned to the Internet to look up local occult shops, and I took the opportunity to call Callie.

She answered after a couple rings. "Hey, Belladonna, how's the fact-finding mission?"

"I worship the Sevenfold Goddess, and her aspects are the Mother, the Shaper, the Messenger, the Dreamer, the Protector, the Traveler, and the Shadow," I said, without preamble. "And here is the greatest of mysteries: all gods are one god, infinite beyond the capacity of mortal minds to comprehend, and these are but masks upon masks, but still I believe, still I invoke, and still I serve."

Callie was silent for a long moment. Her voice shook when she found it again. "You remembered."

"Not everything. Not yet. If you knew, why didn't you _tell_ me?" I asked, a little plaintively.

"You called us the Coven of the Sevenfold Goddess, but it wasn't a requirement to worship her. You were very adamant on that point," she replied. "You always said that everyone had to find their own path to the divine. That it was the seeking that mattered, not what you found at the end. We didn't exactly discuss what I should do if you ever lost your memory, but I figured it would apply to you, too. Either you would remember on your own, or you would find a new path."

I shut my eyes, leaning against the wall, sliding slowly to my knees. "Do you worship her too?"

"No. I'm kind of agnostic. I'm not sure there _is_ some divine power overseeing everything, but I'm not ruling it out, and I'll invoke the elements and the natural world. I only know this stuff because you told me, and even then, there were things you held back. You wouldn't tell me the names of the aspects or the goddess they formed, for instance. Not directly. Sometimes you would mention names I didn't recognize in one incantation or another, and I could make some educated guesses as to which name went to which aspect, but I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure."

"I can't seem to recall their names either," I said quietly.

Callie paused another moment. "Okay. That sucks. But you're starting to remember some things! How did this happen? Was there something in particular that kicked your brain back into gear?"

"I...well, I think it was a combination of factors, honestly. One of them being - Rosalie's a witch now. I was able to modify her power to make her a natural adept, like Jessica."

"Wait, what the shit? How? Why?"

"Her power already involves imposing her will on reality, that's the how," I replied. "The why is...I'm pretty sure the town of Bull Bay's haunted. I was afraid for Alice. I didn't think I could put up an effective ward myself. I saw an opportunity, I took it, and it worked. When she cast it...I could even see her magic, as light and color. Red and gold."

"Of _course_ that girl's a Gryffindor," Callie muttered.

"Cal."

"What? Gryffindor's an insult now?"

I rolled my eyes. "I've spent the last two or three days telling Rose she needs to try and get along with you. You need to do the same, Calico, you're the best magic teacher we've got."

"Sorry, fine, you're right," she replied, with a slight grumble to her voice. "Anyway. You can see magic now? And you talked to your goddess - goddesses? I was never totally sure whether I should use the singular or plural. Which one is right?"

"Both," I said, laughing softly as she groaned. "I can see Rosalie's magic. I haven't had a chance to look at anyone else's. I figured it was some kind of connection between us, since I'd made her a witch, but...it is starting to come back, Cal. I can feel magic. Only just, but it's there. _Please_ don't make a big deal out of it."

Callie was silent for a full two minutes before she spoke again. "Right. Of course not, but...it's progress, right?"

"It's something," I agreed. "Anyway. Alice needs help again, I think that's why some part of me reached out, reconnected me to my faith. We found her childhood home. I'm pretty sure her mother's ghost is still there. We're going to try to talk to her."

"Shit. Uh...shit," she said. "I wish I could help you, Bellwether, but as far as I can remember, you spent your old life avoiding ghosts."

"I know. It's fine, I think I've got it figured out. We're going to give it our best shot. I guess I just...wanted to see if there was anything else you could tell me about how things used to be. Anything that might help."

"I could send you a spell to lay a spirit to rest, but that's about it. What little I knew about your faith...that's all I was holding back."

I bit my lip, a crawling sense of uncertainty in my gut. "You promise?"

"I...promise I'm not holding back anything relevant."

"Callie."

"We all have secrets, Bella. I'm sorry, but you're not getting all of mine, and I wouldn't expect all of yours," she said. "I'd better go, I have a shift coming up. Was there anything else you needed?"

I sighed and looked out the window. "Not now. We'll talk when I get back. Send me that spell, please? Just in case."

"Yeah, I'll e-mail you before I go. Love you, Bellflower."

"Love you, Calypso," I replied, a little distantly. "Give my love to Leah, too."

"Will do. Bye hon!"

I hung up and dropped into a chair, holding my head in my hands for a moment, unsure what I was feeling or why. But there wasn't time to unpack it. Finally, taking a deep breath, I stood and went to find Rosalie.

* * *

We reconvened at the hotel after sunset, after Rosalie and I had assembled everything we'd need, and I'd talked her through the process of consecrating amulets to protect the four of us from spirits. Emmett and Alice returned laughing and smiling, and Alice was very nearly her old self, dancing in on her toes and producing a red Wonder Woman shirt, reaching up to tug it on over my head. I snickered at her antics, and laughed louder when I saw she was wearing a black tee with a picture of Catwoman and the legend _Practically Purr-fect_.

She threw her arms around my neck, and my hands slid into place at her waist as I leaned down to kiss her. "Did you have a good day, baby?"

"Oh, Six Flags was cheesy as hell. But surprisingly fun," Alice replied, with a twinkle in her eye. "It was just...good to get out of my head for a while."

"Emmett's always been good at that," Rosalie remarked, leaning up to kiss his cheek, her lips curled into a warm smile.

Emmett grinned back at her, goosing her ass. "Damn straight."

I cleared my throat. "_Technically_ there are children in the room."

Rose looked over at me and arched an eyebrow, smirking. "You sure you want to play that card, Bells? 'Cause I might just have to start acting like a responsible adult next time you order a cocktail."

"Objection withdrawn," I agreed immediately, and Alice laughed, high and clear and tinkling, and all was right with the world.

Dinner was filled with more laughter, as we talked about nothing in particular over some of the best food the city had to offer. Part of me wanted to linger there all night, to let the sunrise catch us unawares, to go on without a care in the world. But a distant sense of obligation ran through the whole meal, and the night to come loomed above us. It was there in the way we quietly ignored the drinks menu, determined to keep clear heads, and in the way Alice or I would lapse now and then into a pensive silence. Even Emmett seemed distant and worried once or twice, though he was quick to play it off with a joke or a quick round of flirting with Rosalie.

The evening eventually came to an end. We left the French Quarter after midnight, while Bourbon Street was still a sweaty, noisy crush of drunken revelers and laughter and music filled the night. Uptown was quieter at this hour, at least along the largely residential stretch of St. Charles Avenue where Alice's old home still stood. The street was split in two by a grassy median through which the streetcar tracks ran, and tall fences ran between the sidewalks and the yards of the stately old double gallery homes. The neighborhood seemed virtually idyllic, like something out of a dream.

The Brandon House stuck out like a sore thumb.

The iron fence surrounding the place was overgrown with thorny vines, and the gate was chained and padlocked. The house beyond had been painted black at some point, and the balustrades on the upper gallery had rotted and fallen away. The windows were boarded up, and I could see a heavy-duty lock on the front door. The worst of it was the lurid sign that had been mounted on a post overhanging the walk. It featured a grinning Grim Reaper beckoning and swinging his scythe, and a legend printed around it in a font that was supposed to look like blood but mainly looked like the titles from a cheesy horror movie: BRANDON HOUSE.

I turned away from my initial survey of the place to see Alice staring up at that awful sign. I put my hand on her shoulder, and she reached up to stroke my fingers. I leaned in to kiss her temple lightly. "This is complete bullshit, Alice. I'm so sorry."

"No. It's not…" She trailed off, then sighed. "Yes, it's shitty, but as far as anyone knows, everyone who would actually care is dead, so what does it matter? There's a saying, you know - in Europe, a hundred miles is a long distance. In America, a hundred years is a long time. It's been close to a century since my family's particular tragedy. Why should anyone care if some actor buys the site of the local ghost story and puts up some stupid sign?"

"You could buy it. I mean, the family," I said quietly. "If you want. We could take down that sign, we could...I don't know. What would you _want_ to do?"

Alice turned, and smiled sadly up at me. "You're assuming Mr. Cage would be at all interested in selling. Anyway, I don't know. Ask me again when we're done here."

I pulled her close, nuzzling her hair. "Are you sure you need to go inside?"

"Yes. I'm sure. There's still...a wall between me and the truth. We're close. I can feel it. But we need to go inside. Anyway...my mother's in there."

"We think. We're not sure. Rose and I...we could lay her to rest, if that's what you want."

"After all the work you put into finding a way to talk to her? That seems like a waste." She pulled back, looking up at me, her eyes searching mine. "Besides, this could be my only chance to talk to _anyone_ from my human life. And I...I feel I owe her this. For forgetting her. For failing to save her life. Take your pick."

"Alice…"

"I want to talk to her, Bella," she said, interrupting me. "I promise you, if it's possible, that's what I want. No lies. No secrets. Never between us. I _promise_ you."

"No lies, no secrets," I echoed, leaning down to rest my forehead against hers. "And I will do whatever I can to get you anything you want. Anything you need."

Alice smiled faintly, and planted a short, sweet kiss on my lips. "I really do have you wrapped around my little finger, don't I?"

I gaped in mock outrage, but grinned when she giggled in response. "Now and always," I agreed at a whisper.

"Okay, lovebirds, let's get inside," Rosalie announced, finished working her magic on the gate. I saw her squirting WD-40 on the hinges like they were about to outlaw the stuff, and then Emmett took the lead, managing to get the gate open with only moderate creaking. We slipped inside the overgrown yard, long since conquered by weeds and wildflowers, and shut the gate behind us, staying low as we made our way up to the front door. Rosalie went to work on that lock at once, and Alice snuggled close inside my arms, shutting her eyes as we waited.

"Anything yet?" I asked, sighing softly when she shook her head tightly. "Yeah, of course we're not that lucky."

Rosalie got the door open, and we made our way inside. The interior of the house was largely bare. There was some broken or rotting furniture here and there, and assorted built-in shelves and cabinets and old light fixtures in various states of disrepair, but that was about it. There was little to look at aside from the peeling wallpaper, the mold stains, the thick layers of dust and the sprawling cobwebs. The air was hot and wet and close, and it smelled and even tasted of mildew and decay.

I turned to speak to Alice, only to find her lost in a vision, her eyes glazed over. She looked without seeing this way and that, darting around the entry hall and then, before I could stop her, back to a dining room and presumably the kitchen beyond. I followed swiftly, barely glancing back to ensure that Rose and Emmett were following, and when I arrived in the kitchen I found her turning slowly with a look of horror on her face, both hands covering her mouth. She came back to reality in an instant, her eyes focusing again as her face crumpled and she began to tremble.

I scooped her back into my arms, and she let loose a sob, her tears spilling across my shoulder. "He drugged us. I saw it, he drugged the food while the cook was out of the room for - for just a moment, _my father_ drugged our dinner so we would sleep. He was in on it from the start. I was so furious when he brought home another woman and said they were to be married, my mother hadn't even been dead a _year_, and it was _her_, they were working together the whole time, _they killed my mother, Bella!_"

The whole house seemed to shake, and the doors of all the cabinets around us were flung open. An unearthly howl echoed through the empty rooms, shaking the very dust from the walls, and light, faint and flickering, shone through cracks in the ceiling. A woman's voice rang out, as if at a great distance, wracked with anguished sobs.

"_What are you doing in my house?!"_ she screamed, the words reverberating in both English and Spanish at once. "_Where are my daughters?!"_

"Rosalie," I said urgently, turning to help her get set up. But then I heard Alice shriek, and the room was suddenly filled with light. I spun about, and there she was, floating before us, her whole body wreathed in a terrible blue light. She wore a ragged late Victorian gown, shredded in places by her own long, ragged fingernails, which had been twisted practically into talons. Her dark hair streamed around her, unbound but tangled and matted, defying any sense of gravity. Her eyes were heavily hooded, mere glints of light in her skull-like visage, and her lips were black and twisted in an awful grimace. She looked wildly around at us, and another scream rose from her throat, so loud and shrill that we had to clap our hands over our ears.

"_Where have you taken my children?!"_

The amulets around each of our necks burst to life suddenly, throwing off tendrils of light in red and gold, then faint pink and purple and blue, before shining pure white, like miniature stars. The ghost before us screamed again at the sight, but the scream didn't hurt our ears as it had a moment ago. She shielded her eyes and jolted back, snarling at us as the light from our pendants dimmed to a steady glow.

"We'd better hurry," I said. "Alice…"

"Help Rosalie. I'll be fine," she replied distantly.

That gave me pause. "Are you _sure_?"

Alice nodded, then reached up and tugged at her amulet, snapping the chain. I gasped and stepped forward, but she stopped me with a sharp look, dropping her necklace to the ground. "Trust me. Even like this...I'm the very _last_ person she'd want to hurt."

There was no time to argue. The ghost surged forward, seeing a target for her rage, and Alice threw up her hands, calling out to her. "Mama! It's me, it's your Maria! Your little miracle, don't you remember?"

The ghost suddenly stopped in midair, gaping, and though her visage grew no friendlier, she seemed to relax. "Maria? Is it truly you? No...you've _grown_ so…"

"It's been a long time, mama," Alice replied, her voice shaking slightly. "Longer than you know. It's me. Do you remember…"

I forced myself to tune out her voice and put all my attention on Rosalie, hating myself as I did, but I couldn't know how long this moment would last, and there was work to be done. "Emmett, keep an eye on things. Rose - goddess forgive us, but we're going to have to rush this."

She nodded curtly, and as Emmett kept watch, we hurriedly unpacked our supplies and she began the prep.

"Air, source of breath, of wisdom and inspiration, tower of the east, we consecrate and call thee forth," she said, breathing carefully on the cauldron we'd bought, then dropping in some tinder and lighting a fire within. "Fire, source of heat, of passion and courage, tower of the south, we consecrate and call thee forth. Earth, source of strength, of patience and resilience, tower of the west, we consecrate and call thee forth. Water, source of life, of mystery and change, tower of the north, we consecrate and call thee forth."

She sprinkled dirt and water into the little fire, which hissed and spat and flickered, but still burned, and I could see the red and gold of her magic rising around us, tendrils weaving together steadily. I knelt beside her and bowed my head, pushing outward to that place where my mortal mind could just brush against the divine.

"Honored Protector of sword and shield, who guards us from harm," I intoned quietly. "I call you by the fading of the day, and by the half-moon as she wanes. I call you by the weary bones and by the spirit that fights to cling to its last embers. By the grace you did grant me, I ask that you shield me and mine against the dangers we now face."

"Garlic and vervain we offer, for purity and protection against all that might do us harm, knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly," Rosalie said, adding the herbs to the little fire, the air filling with their scent.

"Blessed Traveler of staff and lantern, who watches us on all the roads we must walk. I call you by the coming of the evening, and by the last crescent of the moon that shines above. I call you by the mind that turns to sleep and by the heart that surrenders gladly at the last. By the grace you did grant me, I ask that you guide a pure spirit back along the path."

"With wormwood and with dittany of Crete we open the gates, and into the yawning dark we call thee forth, Luciana Constanza Campana Alvarado, of hallowed memory, whose daughter yet lives and seeks solace in her embrace."

"Kindly Messenger of scroll and torch, who links us mind to mind and heart to heart, I call you by the highest part of the morning and by the waxing of the moon nearing fullness. I call you by the heart that seeks another and by the tongue that speaks only love and friendship. Gentle Dreamer of censer and mirror, who grants us insight and inspiration, I call you by the first blush of the afternoon and by the moon just past her ripest hours. I call you by the mind given to wandering and by the truths we hold close to our spirits. Sisters astride the full moon, sisters astride the noonday sun, by the grace you both did grant me, I ask that you return both mind and voice."

"Camphor for awareness, and rosemary for remembrance. Luciana Constanza Campana Alvarado, of hallowed memory, by the powers we have called, we bid you remember and we bid you speak!"

"Holy Shadow of mask and candle, who walks in darkness seeking light, I call you by the midnight hour and by the moon that hides her face from us. I call you by the feet that walk the path and the eyes that seek only truth. By the grace you did grant me, I ask you to guide us to the truths we seek!"

"With dragon's blood we light the way, with dragon's blood we set our charge, with dragon's blood our will be done!" Rosalie thundered, dropping the resin into the fire last of all. "_So will it I, so mote it be!_"

My voice joined with hers on the final declaration, and red and gold light flared all around us, so bright we were all briefly dazzled. As my vision cleared, I thought I could see thin tendrils of pink, purple and blue here and there, just barely visible, but I blinked and they were gone in a moment. A loud, angry hiss filled the night, but it faded swiftly, falling into silence as our sight was fully restored at last.

A shining spirit still floated in the center of the room, but the gown she wore now was white, belted and accented with gold and silver. The light that surrounded her was softer, kinder upon the eyes. Her skin was brown and sun-kissed, darker than Alice's complexion by a shade or two, and her hair fell past her shoulders in sleek black waves. Her eyes were still dark, but no longer so deeply set, and her dark brown irises were distinct from the pupils. She looked healthy, vital - alive. There was no better word for it. She was beautiful, and there was so much of Alice in her, or so much of her in Alice, I supposed. When she finished looking around in wonder and her eyes fell back on her daughter at last, her smile, in particular, was a perfect match for the smile that always made my heart melt.

"Maria," she said, her voice high and musical with a hint of laughter, just like Alice at her happiest. She reached out with both hands. "Maria, I've missed you so much."

"Mama," Alice replied, her voice choked with tears. She stumbled forward, reaching out to take her mother's hands, and though light flared softly where they touched, it seemed they _could_ touch. "Is it really you?"

"It is. It truly is." Luciana shook her head, her eyes wide and shining. "I can think clearly - see clearly - for the first time in years. Maria, how long has it been?"

Alice glanced back at me, biting her lip, and I gave her the most encouraging smile I could. Setting her shoulders, she turned back. "It's been almost ninety years since I last saw you, mama."

"What? How is that possible? You look only a few years older, but - what you're wearing - fashions _couldn't_ have changed so much. Could they?"

"This is modest by modern standards, trust me," Alice replied, laughing a little before growing sober again. "I...after you died, father sent me away to a hospital. You know he always hated hearing of my visions. While I was there, I was changed into something else. Something not quite human. Almost ninety years have passed and I haven't aged since."

Luciana's lips set in a firm line. "Your _father_. I should never have married that man, except...except I would not have had you. Or Cynthia. I suppose some good came out of this...Cynthia. Maria, where is your sister?"

"I...I don't know. I lost my memory. I've only just begun to get it back. My visions have helped, but there is still so much I don't know."

"You must find her. You must learn what happened to her, for my sake if not hers, if not your own. Promise me, _mija_."

Alice trembled a little, but nodded. "I will. I promise I will, if I can. Mama - there's so much I need to tell you, about father, about what happened afterward…"

"Much of it is coming back to me," she said. "In the place where I was...not quite the living world, not quite Heaven...I could see many things. I couldn't seem to understand them completely until now. Oh, Maria. I was murdered, wasn't I? And your father had a hand in it?"

"Yes." Alice's voice shook again. "It was a hired killer. Father's new wife - the woman he married when you were gone - she hired him. And father drugged us so we would sleep the night he came to kill you, so neither of us would interfere. And when I wouldn't stop speaking of his new wife's part in things, they began to plan to kill me next. I saw it in a vision. I went for help, but we were in a new town, and father had ingratiated himself with the local authorities. He convinced them I was mad, and he had me committed. The doctors paid me no mind. There was only one person in the asylum who believed me, who tried to help and protect me, and he...he died trying to keep me safe."

Tears stung Luciana's eyes, and she pulled Alice into a hug, light flaring again along her arms as she did. "I should have been more careful, my love. I should have paid you more mind. I should have seen who your father truly was, I should have taken you and Cynthia away from this place the moment you told me my fate. I am so, so sorry, my darling."

Alice shook her head tightly. "I should have fought harder to protect you. To stop them, to avenge you if all else failed. I should have found a way."

"No. Maria, no. You were still in your youth when I died. This was _not_ your responsibility. It was _not_ your fault. It was my duty to protect you and you sister, and I failed."

"You did everything you could," Alice protested. "But mama...if you knew what kind of man father was, why did you marry him?"

"I did not know in life. Not truly. I suspected some things, toward the very end, but I didn't think it was in him to kill me," Luciana said. "His words were milk and honey, once. He treated me so kindly, looked at me with such fire in his eyes, and he was handsome and charming. My father did not like him at first, but George won him over. In truth, looking back...my family was wealthy, and there were not many of us left. It all came to my papa, who had only daughters. Silver and jewel mines, land, a pearl diving operation, even an oil well. Your father did business with us, before he began to court me. He hoped to gain it all one day, or a significant portion, at least, but when papa died, only some of it passed to me, and most to my sisters, still unwed, still in Mexico. I think that must have been when George's heart turned completely."

"That's horrible. He loved you only for your money? All this time?"

"I still can't be sure what was in his heart. Perhaps he did love me once. Perhaps he was never able to love at all. But as I said, he gave me you, and he gave me Cynthia, and both of you were the lights of my life," Luciana said, with a small smile, leaning down to kiss Alice's brow. "Maria, tell me. Whatever you have become, whatever strangeness has passed into your life...it is nothing unholy? You are still my sweet girl? And you are happy?"

"I…I don't think it's unholy. It's been difficult, but - I've tried to be good. I've never stopped trying." Alice sniffled, reaching up to wipe at her face. "And I miss you. I miss you so much, and I've learned so much these last few days that - that cut me deeply. It hurts, it hurts so badly, and all of it still feels fresh. But I...I found people who care for me, mama, and I care for them. We look after one another, love one another, like a family. And I…"

She looked back, and reached for me, and my eyes flicked between her and her mother as I bit my lip. But Luciana had turned her gaze to me, curious but apparently not angry, and Alice's arm was still outstretched. After a moment's thought, I stepped forward and took her hand, and she pulled me to her side.

"This is Bella," Alice told her mother, her eyes shining as she smiled at me, then turned back to Luciana. "She is the love of my life, and we're going to be married. She helped me find you. She helped bring you back, for this."

I felt my cheeks heating slightly, and my mouth was suddenly dry. I had literally no context for this kind of situation. What was I supposed to say to the ghost of my fiancée's mother, and more, a woman who had died when homosexuality was both scandalous and extremely illegal? In the end, I could only fall back on my best manners. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

Luciana stared at me for a long moment, then burst out laughing. "Is she always this red, _mija_?"

Alice let out a breath I hadn't realized she was holding, and smiled fondly at me again. "Only on increasingly rare special occasions. I kind of like it."

"You're...not upset?" I offered hesitantly.

"I should be. But there is a sort of peace that has begun to settle over me," Luciana replied. "I feel as though so many of the things I knew, so many things I believed...they matter less, now. I feel something calling to me, something warm, something kind. God, perhaps. And what I feel above all else is love. Love for my family. Love for my daughter. And love for the one who has brought my daughter joy. You will keep her? You will cherish her? You will not let love fade from your heart?"

I swallowed and nodded, looking over at Alice and squeezing her hand. "I love her more than I have ever loved anyone. I could love her until all the stars go out and it wouldn't be enough. I'm not going anywhere."

"Then you have my blessing. For whatever it is worth. Life is too short to deny true love, and you two shine for one another." Luciana leaned over to plant a kiss on my brow, and her lips were cool but still felt soft and pleasant against my skin. It reminded me of Alice's kisses, when she was still a full vampire, and I was still fully human. "I don't know if I would have felt this way when I still lived. But there is much I did not understand, then, and much that I am only beginning to understand now."

"I wish you could stay, mama," Alice said, fresh tears in her eyes. "I wish we could give you another chance at life, I wish - I wish you could see our wedding."

"_Mija_, I promise you, when I get to Heaven or wherever it is I'm going, I will watch over you. I will smile on your wedding day," Luciana replied, though tears streamed down her cheeks as well. "I wish I could be there to embrace you as a married woman, to give you whatever advice I have to offer, for whatever good it would do in your marriage. I wish I could be there to spoil your children, if somehow you have them. I wish I could stay forever. But that's not how things are meant to be. You will always be in my heart, my love. Let a part of me live in yours, and never forget how much I love you."

Alice nodded, her voice choking up as she spoke. "I won't forget. Not again. I promise."

There was a sudden burst of brilliant white light behind Alice's mother, like a door had just been thrown open and the light beyond was shining through. I could just make out a figure standing in the glowing portal, but could see little more than the shape of a woman holding a staff in one hand and a lantern in the other. Luciana turned and gasped.

"Abuelita? Maria - oh, this is my grandmother, she died when I was just a girl, you never met her…"

"I can't see her, mama. It's okay, I - I'll see her someday," Alice said, leaning into me. I put my arm around her shoulders, holding her close. "You should go to her. Go into the light."

"Oh. Yes. Yes, I see," Luciana said, turning back to us, her smile fading slightly. She reached out to brush her fingers along Alice's cheek and chin. "My little miracle. My Maria. I love you. Goodbye, _mija_."

"Goodbye, mama," Alice replied, wiping at her eyes and sniffing loudly. "I love you so much."

Alice's mother hesitated a moment longer, but I could tell she couldn't resist the call. At last, she turned back toward the light, and with one last, lingering glance, she stepped into whatever lay beyond and vanished from our sight. With a sudden rush of wind like a weary soul sighing in relief, the light was swept away, leaving us in darkness.

The house around us was still and quiet, and though the scent of decay lingered in the air, there was a sense of peace to it. Alice collapsed at once into my arms, weeping openly, but though her tears were filled with grief and sorrow, there was something different about them now. They weren't the great, racking sobs of a lost soul, unsure of ever finding solace. They were tears that would pass, in time, when the great wound that caused them began to heal. I could remember them, dimly, from my own time of mourning. It would take time for the grief to pass. It would never go away completely. But Alice had me as surely as I had her, and together we could see our way through anything.

I would keep the faith.


End file.
